I Am a New Day Rising
by rkins
Summary: Draco Malfoy steps into the life of the Trio towards the end of the war and into the heart of Hermione Granger. When a poorly calculated potion causes him to step into her dreams as well, it may be too much for her to handle. HPGW, DMHG OOC DM and LM
1. And This is Just the Prologue

And this is Just the Prologue

The dark of the night could no hide the hooded figures stumbling toward the castle. Albus Dumbledore watched from his office as the two large mysterious wizards made their way to the front doors. One tried desperately to hold the other as they shuffled frantically down the dirt path.

"Leave me here. Go get him," hissed the younger man.

"Definitely not. We must stay together," retorted the older one. "We are almost there, son." The older man grimaced at the sound of his son's whimpers and cries as they neared the castle doors. As the older man pulled his son up the steps, the front doors swung open, blinding the two men with a bright light from the inside and revealing the headmaster. "Albus," hissed the older man. "Help. Please."

_Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it._

Without a word, Dumbledore levitated the young man and moved him into the foyer of the school. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you?" Dumbledore asked, never nearing the two men. The older man pushed the hood of his cloak off his head. "Lucius?" Dumbledore gasped. He looked down at the other man. "Draco?"

Lucius Malfoy glanced up at the headmaster and then tended to his son. Without looking at Dumbledore again he said, "We need your help, Albus." Madam Pomfery stormed into the foyer shaking her head at Draco's condition.

"Albus, he must go to the hospital wing. We can sort out the rest later." Dumbledore nodded in affirmation as Madam Pomfery took Draco to the hospital wing. Lucius made to follow, but he was stopped by Dumbledore's sharp voice.

"You will stay and explain everything to me." Lucius looked worriedly at his son's retreating form. "He will be fine with Poppy."

Lucius sighed and fell back onto the grand staircase. "The Dark Lord beat him senseless today, Albus." He looked down at his hands in shame. "I could do nothing to stop it."

"Why?" Dumbledore asked simply.

Lucius looked into Dumbledore's eyes. The headmaster had never seen so much concern, so much fear in the man's eyes before. "Draco refused to murder you." Dumbledore showed no emotion. "He flat out refused and nearly spat in the Dark Lords face. I sat and watched as he defended you. The Dark Lord only became more and more furious as he went on."

"I can imagine." Dumbledore made to sit next to Lucius but thought better of it.

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named threw Draco in the dungeons right after. I waited until I knew it would be safe and took him here."

"And you're wife, Lucius?"

"Murdered for defending our son." His words were crisp with bitterness.

"Why come here? Why not go into hiding?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Hiding would not teach my son anything, Albus. He needs to know that strength is what wins battles. It took every ounce of strength I had to get us here, physically and emotionally. I'm turning myself in, so he can have a better life."

"Surely you don't believe that a life without you is a better one?" Dumbledore pushed.

"Anything is better than receiving a beating because you stand up for what you believe."

"And what do you believe in, Lucius?"

"The short end of it?" Lucius paused and ran his hands through his loose blond hair. "I believe in the good of people. It has taken Cissa many, many years to teach me, but her message finally sank in not to long ago. Together we've taught Draco to forget the ways the Dark Lord preaches. After I watched them assault my son and kill my wife right in front of my eyes, I could not keep up the charade any longer. I was hurting Draco more than saving him."

Dumbledore stared, utterly surprised of the honesty in which Lucius spoke. Lucius stayed quiet, waiting for Dumbledore to respond. "We will think of a plan to keep both of you safe." Dumbledore placed a hand on Lucius shoulder. Overcome with relief and gratitude, Lucius began to cry. He had not cried since his wedding day, and even then it was in the solitude of his bedchambers. Dumbledore watched the weathered man release his emotions with silent care.

Several hours later Dumbledore, along with the Minister of Magic, walked into the hospital wing. The two powerful wizards stopped short as they watched Lucius kneel beside his son's unconscious body, bow his head and mumble an incoherent monologue. After a few moments, Lucius stood up and kissed his son's forehead, smoothing his short blond hair.

"I see you are correct, Dumbledore." The Minister's doubt vanished as they had watched Lucius pray for his son's safety. "Our deal stands. I will take the information Lucius gave you and bring it to the Aurors. I'm sure the information will trickle down to the Order?" Dumbledore nodded at the question. "Good. Tell Lucius of the parameters and be sure the two stay hidden until He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has fallen. Understood?" Dumbledore nodded again. "I must go." And the Minister turned to leave not as quietly as they had entered.

Lucius turned and watched the wizard exit the wing. He nodded his greetings to the headmaster and turned back to his son. "I suppose he will be getting the Aurors then?"

"No." Dumbledore answered. Lucius looked up half in surprise, half in curiosity. "I gave the Minister the information you gave me. He agrees that without it our side would not have won. He found the information very valuable."

Lucius nodded. "I'm not going to Azkaban then?"

"No. You will come with me. And when Draco is well, he will come too."

"Where are we going?"

"The Order of the Phoenix uses the Black estate, Grimmald Place, for our headquarters. You and Draco will live there until Voldemort falls."

"And after?" Lucius asked looking down on to his sleeping son.

"You two will be free. The Minister will see to it that you get credit for what you have done, to clear your name."

Lucius let out an exhausted breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. _Free. What's free?_ He moved the concept around in his head, but his powerful, ever adapting mind couldn't wrap itself around it.

"I'll leave you to say goodbye. Then we must leave straight away. Draco will follow when he wakes up." Dumbledore placed a hand on Lucius shoulder again. "You did the right thing by your son, Lucius. Nothing more could be expected of you."

A/N: Alrighty. And so begins my first Draco/Hermione ship. The title of the story is a line out of Times Like These by the Foo Fighters. Get ready to understand my vast love of music ). The title of the Prologue is straight out of a Panic! At the Disco song: The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage.

Please review )


	2. Everyone Has a Secret

Chapter One: Everyone Has a Secret

"Did you see this?" Ron Weasley threw the Daily Prophet on the kitchen table in front of his two friends.

"What are we looking at, Ron?" Hermione asked exasperatedly, picking up the paper to read the headline. It read: **New Potions to Fight the Wizard Flu**. "Are you feeling sick?" She asked him concernedly.

He rolled his eyes. "Flip the paper open."

She did so and read the headline that she saw next: **Ministry Decree: All Students Must Return to Hogwarts.** "Oh." Harry raised an eyebrow at the headline and silently turned back to his cereal. Hermione, however, read on.

_In Ministry Decree, all students who have not finished their magical education because of the Wizarding War, which ended earlier this summer, must return to Hogwarts this fall. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore comments, "It is to ensure all young wizards and witches are given the proper education to become contributing citizens in Wizarding society." Unlike most decrees set forth by the Ministry, there has been no public outcry against the Decree of Furthering Education. It was pushed through as quickly as possible to ensure…._

Hermione stopped reading, already understanding the basics of the article. "Sounds like most people are for this Decree. I think it's a good thing the Wizarding World is behind the first law after the war."

"Really! You would!" Ron snapped.

Just then, Draco entered the kitchen and thanked Molly Weasley as she filled his plate with eggs and toast. "What's got your knickers in a bunch, Weasley?"

Hermione smiled at Draco, ignoring Ron's snippy remark under his breath.

"Morning, Dray." Hermione passed him the paper Ron had thrown at her earlier. "Read the bottom article."

"Morning, Ni." Draco responded as he bit off a piece of his toast. Draco had been living in Grimmald Place for nearly six months. Three months before the downfall of Voldemort his father had negotiated their freedom with the Minister. The Malfoy men had not returned to Malfoy Manor, much to Ron's disgust, because Lucius insisted on finding a new place to live. The Manor was home to thousands of horrible memories the two men needed to place in the past. Lucius, however, was taking far to much time choosing a home. "Hmm. Intriguing. But weren't you going to go back to school anyway?" Draco asked Ron.

Ron screwed up his face in disgust, as he normally did when Draco spoke. "No. I was NOT planning on it. Why would I want to go back there?"

Harry laughed. "So you can get a job? Make money? Live a happy life?"

"You were planning on going back?" Ron asked his best friend.

"Of course, mate." Harry continued to eat his cereal. Swallowing quickly he turned to Draco. "We all got our letters this morning. Mione and I were going to go to Diagon Ally for supplies, you coming?"

Draco smiled and dipped his toast into the yolk of his egg. "Sounds good." He took a bite. It honestly had not taken a long time to get used to Harry Potter being nice to him. He gave the young man a lot of credit, as he didn't hold a grudge. Draco and Harry had been at each other's throats for nearly seven years; but as soon as he heard Draco had switch sides, Harry's animosity virtually shut off.

It had been even easier to get used to being friends with Hermione. She had practically nursed him back to health the first month he had been at the Black estate. He could sense her apprehension to help him and to trust him; but after he confided in her about what happened with Voldemort, they became quite close. It wasn't a secret to anyone in Grimmauld Place or the Order, save Hermione and Ron, that Draco was head over heals in love with her. Draco, of course, settled for their growing friendship until he could pluck up enough courage to tell her how he felt. Courage wasn't a Slytherin trait after all.

Fortunately for Hermione, it was apparent to no one, except for Harry, that she was head over heals in love with Draco as well. She had spent the first month after his arrival trying to resist her growing admiration for the young man, but after he opened his heart to her – she broke. She dreamt of him nightly and wished to be around him constantly when they were awake. Some nights they stayed up well into the early morning merely reading in the parlor. She enjoyed those nights the most out of all her summer nights. Every few hours, Draco would ask her a question about her reading material or her life. Once and a while she would do the same, but she didn't want to pry into healing wounds. Hermione's had pretty much scarred already. And so the two lived in blissful ignorance for the time being. Harry tried everything he could to get the two to see the other's true feelings, short of breaking their trust.

"Why wasn't I invited?" Ron pouted. "Mione, don't you want me to come?"

She scowled. "Don't call me Mione. And you're mom said that you were going to visit your Aunt Muriel."

Draco smirked at Hermione's cute scowl. "Ni, are you getting new robes?"

Hermione grinned at Draco. She knew the only reason he used his little nickname for her was to push Ron's buttons. She also knew she should have scowled at Draco, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She loved hearing him call her 'Ni.' It was different and completely his to call her. "Yea I think so. I grew an inch or so this summer."

"Why does he get to call you a nickname? And Harry calls you Mione." Ron pushed.

Hermione simply ignored him. She was sick of Ron's never-ending plight to make it seem like they had a connection: they didn't. The fact of the matter was the only reason Hermione still tolerated Ron was because of Harry. She wasn't ready to cause a rift between the two of them, and she could handle Ron's antics pretty well. Draco also ignored Ron and continued his conversation. "You grew? What are you like four foot ten inches?"

Hermione laughed and threw a piece of toasted crust at him. "Hey! I'm five foot four! That's average." Draco picked up the crust she had thrown and popped it into his mouth, smiling ridiculously at her.

"Yes, dear." Molly poured more eggs on to Hermione's plate. "And you're far to skinny for you height, so eat up."

Hermione gagged at the amount of eggs that were now sitting on her plate. She stood up, allowing for Draco to make an assessment of his own. She didn't look to skinny for her height; she looked perfect to him. She had a curvy little body that he was positive would fit perfectly under his arm when they walked. She had an average size bust, but her hips and round behind were delicious. They only seemed to make her waist look even thinner. He let out an involuntary sigh as she walked away from the table to the door. Ron shot him, once again, a disgusted look. His expression quickly changed to a smile as he, himself, watched Hermione bend down at the waist and pet her cat. Draco could not deny that it was a pretty picture to take in, but he refused to let Ron watch her like that.

"Ni?" Draco called.

Hermione stood back up and turned to him. "Yea, Dray?"

Draco smiled at the nickname she had coined for him. "Back down in 20 minutes to leave?" Draco looked at Harry, who nodded in affirmation.

"See you in 20 minutes, then." She smiled her brilliant smile and walked out.

Harry, who caught the exchange between Ron and Draco, chuckled and shook his head before turning back the sports page of the Prophet.

Barely one hour later a very shocked Harry, Hermione, and Draco stood in the middle of hundreds of wizards and witches. "I think we picked the wrong time to come." Harry mused. Draco raised one eyebrow in agreement.

"Well. I suppose it will be like this for the rest of the week, seeing everyone just got their letters." Hermione answered. "We might as well make our over to Gringotts first." She started to push through the hordes of people.

"Just tell her, mate." Harry whispered to Draco, who was watching Hermione's hips sway expertly through the crowd.

"Tell who what?" Draco acted dumb.

"Oh shove it, _Dray._" Harry gave him a look that dripped of knowledge.

Draco cringed at Harry's blatant inference. "I don't have anything to tell her." Draco said, finally pushing through the last bit of the crowd and meeting Hermione on the steps of the bank.

"Right." Harry chuckled as he walked up to his two friends. He swung his arm around Hermione, winked at Draco, and led her into Gringotts. Draco scowled at Harry's successful attempt to make him needlessly jealous. Harry had whispered something in her ear, causing her to turn a soft pink and giggle nervously. Draco felt his insides twitch in arousal at the new color of her skin joined with the innocent sound that escaped from her lips. He wondered if she'd look like that if he was on top of her.

Sighing, because he figured he'd never have the chance, he turned to the first open teller and took money out of his family account. He thanked the grouchy goblin and left the building. He found Hermione sitting on the steps waiting from them.

She saw him as well and smiled brightly at him. "All set, Dray?"

He sat down next to her and knocked her shoulder playfully with his own, loving how she giggled at the contact. "Yup. You?" She nodded. He watched her as she placed her hands behind her on the warm stone steps, turn her face up the sky, close her eyes, and sigh as she let the sun's warmth bathe her. He felt a familiar twitch inside of him at the way the sun turned her beautiful, soft curls a gorgeous honey brown that rivaled her eyes. He was just reaching up to touch her cascading curls when she opened her eyes and looked at him. His face reddened immediately. He swatted his hand around her face. "Fly." He grunted. Hermione's hand joined his in swatting away the imaginary pest. He reddened even more at her unwarranted pest control. "Where's Potter?"

"Oh. He said he'd be a minute, I guess he had to actually go into the vault." But just as she finished, Harry emerged from the bank. Hermione and Draco got up and brushed off their backsides.

"Where to first?" Draco asked.

"Well we all have to get robes right? We might as well start there, then we can pick them up on our way home." Hermione grinned at the men as she twisted on her toes and left them on steps.

"That was smooth, by the way." Harry said, laughing quietly.

"What are you going on about now?" Draco snapped.

"A fly?" Draco rolled his eyes and put a hand to his forehead. "Oh yea, I saw it." Harry laughed again and patted his friends back in sympathy.

Draco and Harry caught up to Hermione in Madam Malkins. As she walked away to the new arrivals for women she called back to the men, "Don't forget to pick out dress robes, boys!"

Harry and Draco looked at each other and rolled their eyes, "Yes, mum." They called back. Hermione laughed to herself as she flipped through the new styles.

Draco looked at Hermione curiously over the rack of robes he was browsing.

"Potter?" Harry looked up at Draco, waiting for him to go on. "Does Hermione not shop second hand?"

"Goodness no." Harry laughed. "Why on earth would she do that?"

"Well I just thought because-"

"Because she's muggleborn you think she can't afford anything but second hand?" Draco shrugged. "Do you see the clothes she's wearing right now?" Harry said turning back to the robes.

"Yea? What about them?" Draco said. He thought the jeans fit her perfectly and the fancy blouse hugged her enticingly, but he didn't think Harry was referring to how seductive she looked.

"You don't know anything about Muggle designers to you?" Draco shook his head. Harry sighed. "She's rich, Draco." Draco's eyes widened. "Well not as rich as you, but certainly as rich as me. Her parents were dentists for goodness sakes! She only shops designer. Those jeans? Nearly 200 pounds. That top? I was with her when she bought it. She spent 80 pounds on it. And she was happy it was so cheap. The bathing suit she's been wearing all summer? 200 pounds easy."

"Seriously?" Draco reaffirmed.

"Does it make you like her more?" Harry's eye's darkened.

"What? No! Wait. I don't like Hermione like that. And I couldn't care less, I was just wondering." Draco stammered.

"I don't like being lied to." Harry grunted.

"What? I'm not. I don't care."

"That's not to what I was referring." Harry said, eyeing his friend. After a few minutes, Harry's head snapped up. "Oh, Malfoy. Don't tell Ron."

"What?" Draco was confused.

"Hermione doesn't want him to know. She's afraid he'll act even more like a git if he finds out."

Draco sighed, knowing full well Weasley had a sore spot for being poor. Draco, himself, had used it countless times growing up to get under his skin. "Yea ok. No worries."

Less than a half hour later, the trio left Madam Malkins laughing. Hermione covered her face with her hands in embarrassment when Harry reminded her of the time she had seen Oliver Wood in the dress shop.

"Oh God, Harry. Please don't bring that up."

Seeing the beautiful shade of red that crept across Hermione's face, Draco couldn't resist pushing a little further. He draped an arm around her shoulder and said, "Oh no, Ni. Let the man speak. I think I want to hear this." He quickly noted that she did indeed fit perfectly under his arm. He was nearly 10 inches taller than her, and he loved it.

Harry laughed heartily and continued. "Well we were at Hogsmeade, and Hermione brought me to that designer dress shop for a dress for her cousin's wedding."

"No, Harry. Please."

"Oh yes, Mione." Harry laughed. "So there I am, watching her come and in and out of the changing room. She would be wearing a dress sometimes, but other times she'd just walk out in her little undies and bra."

"What?!" Draco looked incredulously at Hermione as they walked together. He had always equated her virginity with shyness.

"Oh, Draco. I'm not a prude, you know. Anyway it's just like a bathing suit! I'd walk around like that in front of you too, if you wanted." Hermione winked flirtatiously causing Draco to choke on the saliva he was trying to swallow. Hermione chuckled to herself at catching Draco's attention in such a bold way.

Harry coughed out a surprised laugh at her brazen comment. "Anyway. So Oliver Wood walked in with his girlfriend, at the time. He saw our little virgin Mione here bopping around in her unmentionables and promptly gets a hard on."

Draco through his head back in a healthy, incredibly happy laugh. Lucius walked up just in time to hear his son laugh and miss the rest. Lucius couldn't help but smile at the joy that shown brightly on Draco's face.

"And what's so funny?" He asked his son. He did not miss the dark shade of red that gave Hermione a healthy glow. He shook his son's hand and Harry's. He looked at Hermione and smiled in a fatherly way. "My dear. Do I not get my hug because we are in public?"

Hermione flashed him a lovely grin. "Mr. Malfoy – always." She circled her arms around the man and gave him a little squeeze as he patted her head. He remembered the first time she gave him a hug. He had just returned from fighting in the final battle. Apparently she had made it back before most of the fighters, as he was positive she had been there. Draco, Harry, and Ron got one as well, but everyone was shocked that Lucius had received one. Lucius, never having a daughter, took the opportunity to get to know the young women when he arrived at Grimmald Place. He found her extremely easy to love, even though he'd never admit it. She was brilliant and kind, but had a fire in her that kept everyone on their toes. He watched her and Draco's exchanges and hoped they'd figure it out soon. Just seeing his son's arm draped around her made him think they were getting somewhere.

"Are these young men taunting you, my dear? Cause I can take care of them for you."

Hermione laughed at the father figure in front of her. She had fallen into a comfortable father/daughter relationship with Lucius. At first she had been apprehensive of the man, because of all he had done and all the evil he held inside. But over the months she had come to love him as a father. When she first started to feel a strong connection with Lucius, she pulled away from him initially. She felt as though she was disrespecting her own father, who passed away with her mother a year before the final battle. Nervous about the new relationship with Lucius and her growing feelings for his son, she had her first mother/daughter discussion with Molly. Initially, Molly was a little disheartened by the fact that Ron would never have a chance with Hermione, but she soon moved on when she noticed how much Draco did care for the young women. Molly had allowed Hermione to see Lucius as a second chance for a father like relationship. Regardless of his dark past, she felt safe with him.

"No no, Mr. Malfoy. It's fine." She replied sheepishly.

"Draco, I think I found a place."

"Oh good, Father. Right in time for me to go back to Hogwarts."

"Watch your tone. It's a nice cottage down the valley from the Weasleys. Where are you three headed too?"

"Flourish and Blotts." Hermione stated as Lucius placed her hand in the crook of his arm in a chivalrous manner. Draco smiled at the amount of affection his father had for Hermione. Lucius had dropped less than sutle hints about the two of them becoming a couple, but Draco still couldn't read Hermione.

"Ah yes. As I was saying then. You'll come look at it with me tomorrow then, son?"

"Yes, of course, Father."

"Would you like to come too, my dear?" Lucius asked the young woman on his arm.

Hermione looked at Draco cautiously first, secretly hoping he wouldn't mind. She loved spending time with him. She grinned in response to the grin that was plastered on his face and nod in affirmation he gave her.

"Yes. Ni. Come. You can tell me if my bedroom is acceptable." Draco shocked himself with his blunt sentence.

Hermione cocked her head to one side as the words sunk in. She laughed out loud. "Yes I suppose I will come then. Can't let my little Draco down." Lucius raised his own eyebrows at the double meaning in her words. "Oh goodness. I really need to hang out with women more often. All you men have your mind in the gutter."

Lucius begged off soon after their impromptu meeting. Harry, Hermione, and Draco had all of their supplies and unneeded items they "just had to buy" sent back to Black Estates, now traceable since the end of the war.

"Shite! Is that time?" Harry asked double-checking the time from the large clock on Gringotts with his Muggle watch. It was nearly one o'clock.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"I'm supposed to meet Ginny at one. I have to head back to the house and go meet her. See you two later?"

Hermione looked confused. "Yea. But isn't Ginny with her family?"

Harry looked stuck. Draco shook his head. If he was reading his new friend correctly, he was trying to leave the two alone. "Didn't you make plans with Ginny to get her out of the family nonsense early?" Draco helped Harry and himself out.

Harry smiled. "Yup. Bye!" He said and disapperated.

"Ice cream?" Hermione turned to Draco, quickly moving on from the ambiguity of Harry's departure. They had been standing so close together previously, that when she turned she was only centimeters away from his body. He itched to wrap his arms around her and pull her into a searing kiss. Instead he looked down into her eyes, watching her as her breath caught in her throat. _Is she affected by this too?_ Draco thought to himself.

"Yea." He breathed and together they turned away from where Harry once stood. Draco placed his hand on the small of her back and led her to the Florean Fortescues. "What flavor are you going to get?" He whispered in her ear.

She shivered at the heat of his breath on her sensitive skin. "Uh." She took a minute to snap back into her normal self. "Double chocolate with bits of peppermint stick."

Draco smiled at her. "Sounds delicious." He desperately wanted to nip at her ear and taste her skin. He realized that chocolate and peppermint would probably taste much better on her tongue when on a cone.

"And you?" She asked.

"Hmm." He thought purposefully. "Vanilla."

"Vanilla with chocolate swirl?" She asked.

"No, Vanilla."

"You mean just plain vanilla? What about Vanilla with bits of brownie!?" Hermione looked at him excitedly at her suggestion.

"Nope. Just plain vanilla." Hermione's face screwed up in confusion. "What, Ni? Everyone likes vanilla."

"Yea. When it's on top of pancakes or a brownie. Or even vanilla drenched in hot chocolate sauce or under hot apple crisp. But no one likes just plain vanilla on a cone."

"I don't get cones." He said seriously.

"Even worse!" Hermione gasped. "No cone?" Hermione pinched him.

"Ow! What was that?" He rubbed the sore spot.

"I was making sure you were real. Cause no real human being likes plain vanilla in a cup."

Draco mocked hurt. "I really like vanilla, Ni. You cut me deep. You offend me beyond belief."

Hermione pushed his shoulder lightly. "Oh shove it." She walked into the ice cream parlor.

"Yes please." Draco muttered under a smile. He followed Hermione into the parlor and replaced his hand on the small of her back as she ordered her double chocolate with bits of peppermint stick.

"And what will you have today, young sir?" The old women behind the counter asked.

"I'll have strawberry with chocolate sprinkles." He said trying to act serious.

Hermione glared at him. "I thought you were going to get just plain vanilla."

Draco's face contorted into disgust. "Who likes just plain vanilla? I hate just plain vanilla."

Hermione mouth hung open in surprise. She loved it when he teased her openly, it was almost as if he was flirting with her. _Is he flirting with me?_ Her mouth slowly molded into a gorgeous ear-to-ear grin. "Me too."

A/N: I'm not usually a Draco/Hermione shipper, but I've been reading so many of them lately, I wanted to try it. The title of the chapter is from the song "Secret" by Maroon 5. Excellent song, lets not lie. Also, I know most people use "Mione" as a nickname – as I do. But I'm also a Harry/Hermione shipper, and I couldn't shake the fact that Harry always calls Hermione, Mione. So I made up a new one for Draco to call Hermione: Ni, the last sound from her name.

Thanks for all your wonderful reviews. I'm going to confess I'm a little nervous about this one. But that being said, be honest – in a nice way? Haha my heart can only take too much. I'm probably going to go slow with this one – as I haven't decided whether I want to make one drastic conflict, or a few smaller ones..hmm..ideas?


	3. The Princess and the Passenger

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews!!

Kamikawi You went ABOVE AND BEYOND, I assure you!! But it was very much appreciated. I really liked your ideas of the flashbacks…I didn't even think of it. I'll keep it in mind. Also – I clearly am heading down an anti-Ron path with this one, but I never liked him…except Rubert Grint kinda makes me smile. Anyway. I'll try not to make it too outrageous.

Fallingstar Sorry about the grammar mistakes. Blushes It doesn't matter how many times I reread it, I still miss one or two things ( I'll try harder, promise. Haha On a lighter note, you are so right about "Ni" verses "Nee". Let me explain. My name is Ronni and well I just always associate N-I with the sound Nee. But I can see now how some people might read it Neye. So, that being said. I've changed it. Not a big change that I think it would hurt the story at this point. Thanks for your input ).

Smurphy I must confess I do love it when Ron has a bad rep as well. You won't be disappointed, I assure you. I'm glad you liked the praying, I went back and forth about putting that bit in – I didn't want to offend anyone. But even in my not-very-religious life, I believe that God forgives above all else, and if God forgave him than everyone else could too.

To those who reviewed asking for an update ) I must oblige.

Chapter 2: Sitting Next to Her, the Princess and the Passenger

"Ah. How I've missed this train." Draco drawled as he plopped himself beside Hermione in the trio's usual compartment.

"Come now, Malfoy." Harry smirked. "This is a totally new experience for you."

"How do you mean, Potter?" Draco asked taking a Muggle fiction novel from his bag.

"Well. This compartment is uncharted territory for you. This is the _Golden Trio's_ compartment; it's exclusive." Harry's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Hermione smirked, knowing full well Harry despised the term coined by their peers. "Very true, Harry. He should count himself among the elite now. He's one of us." She played along with his charade.

"What?!" Ron exclaimed. "No he isn't! It's the Golden TRIO, Hermione. Malfoy would make it four, not three."

"Oh so you can do math." Hermione snapped. Ron's face reddened with anger. "You know Harry and I were being sarcastic. The three of us aren't any better than anyone else, you git."

Draco put a hand on her denim-clad thigh to stop her rant. His light tough instantly calmed her. Draco smiled inwardly as he watched her take a soothing breath. "Doesn't matter, Nee. I don't want to be a part of your stupid club anyway."

She smiled devilishly at him. "Just a groupie then?"

"Doesn't that mean has to have sex with one of us?" Harry laughed.

"Are you offering, Potter?" Draco raised an eyebrow at him.

"No, but Hermione might." Harry answered behind a snicker.

Ron groaned, but Hermione just smiled as she turned back to her magazine. Draco grinned at Hermione's silent reaction.

"Maybe." He mused. His grin widened when he noticed the light shade of pink that crept up her cheeks.

"Don't you have your own friends to go annoy?" Ron had had enough of their flirting.

"Really, Ron. We are his friends, and the only person he's annoying is you." Harry stated looking at the red head with an air of distain. Ron didn't respond, visibly hurt by Harry's straightforward response. Harry turned to Draco once he was satisfied Ron received his message. "How was the cottage, Malfoy?"

"Oh. Father named it Malfoy Cottage."

Ron snorted. "Original."

"Yes well," Draco tried to ignore Ron's intrusion, "it's certainly not as big as the Manor, but-"

"Oh nonsense!" Hermione broke in. "It's hardly a cottage at all; it's so big! Really, Harry it is quite wonderful. It's open and airy, but still feels like a real home. And it's three floors, but the bottom one is just where the house elves will do all their work. The second floor has the living area. You know, the living room and the parlor and the dining room and the office and the library. Oh! You should see the library!" Hermione was interrupted by Draco's deep laugh. "What?" She asked him.

"Oh, nothing, Nee. Please continue telling Potter and Weasley about MY house."

"Oh. Sorry. I just love it." Hermione pouted as she sank into the bench and started to read her magazine again.

Draco frowned. He wasn't upset that she loved it. He was jumping for joy because the honest truth was he imagined her there. Draco imagined what it would be like for their children to be running up the stairs into the parlor or out into the garden. He imagined what it would be like to have Hermione waiting in his office when he got home from work with a report on how their youngest son finally pulled himself up to stand that day. He was frowning because he was afraid he offended her. "Oh. Nee. I'm sorry. I'm glad you love the house. I expect you'll be there often. Please, really, finish telling Potter about the Cottage."

"No, Draco. It's fine. You finish."

Draco sighed and turned to Harry. "Well the library is quite massive, much larger than the one we had at the Manor. And the top floor has all the bedrooms. There's the master bedroom suite and three others bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. They are all very nice. The best part is how bright it all is. I must say, it's the very opposite of the Manor. My father went from one extreme to the other."

"But you like it?" Harry asked.

"Very much. The garden is awesome."

"Oh yes the garden! So beautiful!" Hermione sat back up in excitement, but realized her interruption. "Oh. Sorry." Draco and Harry laughed at her. "It's just really lovely."

"Well isn't that nice." Ron muttered.

Hermione ignored him. "It's really the largest cottage I've ever seen."

"Size isn't everything, Hermione." Ron said. Ron was referring to the house, obviously. Hermione, however, could not let go of the double meaning.

"I beg to differ, Ron." She winked at Draco.

Out of surprise Draco choked on the butterbeer he had just opened. "And you'd know, my virgin princess of Gryffindor?" Draco smirked at her. Hermione threw her head back letting out a gorgeous laugh. Ron, however, ruined Draco's moment of admiration.

"She's not yours, Malfoy." Ron spit out.

"Enough, Ron." Hermione sighed. "It was only a joke." Draco inwardly fumed at the stubborn red head. Anyone could see that Ron still had feelings for Hermione, but everyone could also see that Hermione no longer had feelings for Ron. Draco constantly felt like he was competing with Ron for Hermione, when in actuality it was not even a contest. His glare at Ron ended abruptly when he felt a small hand land gently on his leg. He looked down at it and then up at the owner in surprise. Hermione gazed at him with sincerity. She patted his leg lightly and gave him a small smile. He returned it and settled back into the bench to continue reading his book.

The compartment remained subdued for a long while before an unwanted interruption abruptly ended the silence. "Well, well. What do we have here?" Pansy Parkinson's seductive voice floated into the compartment. Unfortunately for Pansy, who was still standing in the hallway, she could only see Draco in the compartment. Pansy leaned against the wall and made eye contact with Draco. He stared at her emotionlessly. "I missed you this summer, Draco."

"That was completely one sided, I assure you." He drawled, glancing over at Hermione. Of course, Pansy thought he was looking out the window.

"You didn't miss me? I stayed up late almost every night, hoping that you'd come into visit me. Why didn't you? Do I not make you happy now that you are aligned with the Order?"

"You never made me happy, Pansy. That's the reason we were never officially together."

"Oh nonsense, Draco. We were together. What about all those nights in your dorm room? We were pretty good together then."

Hermione snorted loudly, alerting Pansy of the others in the compartment. Hermione smiled sheepishly at Draco, who raised an eyebrow at her involuntary reaction. Pansy walked to the doorway and her mouth dropped.

"You can't be serious, Draco! I thought you were just going to the Order for sanctuary! Not to find new friends!" Her shock quickly turned into a sickening, sweet smile. "I'm here now. So come sit in our compartment like always. We can have a good snog."

"Really, Pansy. You're making yourself look like a fool. Please leave."

Pansy threw herself at Draco's feet, causing Hermione to laugh out loud. Draco's eyes widened at the over anxious young woman in front of him. He tried to push Pansy's arms off of his body. "Draco! Why are you saying these things? Why don't you want to snog me? Don't you love me still?"

"Your disgusting!" Hermione barked out through her laughter.

Draco's eyes widened once again as Pansy rounded on Hermione. "What? Are you with him now?"

"No. I'm not." Hermione said, not backing down.

"Well obviously, you filthy mudblood. Draco would never shag the likes of you."

"Rather a mudblood than a whore." Hermione spat. Pansy gasped in shock. Draco and Harry snorted loudly. Ron stared back and forth between the two young women. "You should be ashamed of yourself, throwing yourself at man. Didn't your mother teach you decency?"

"Well, I've never! How dare you!" Pansy sputtered.

"I think it's time for you to leave, Pansy." Draco drawled, pushing the sputtering witch out the compartment door and slamming it shut. "Well, well Nee. I didn't know you had it in you."

Hermione shrugged and started to flip through her magazine. "Last year I probably wouldn't. But I'm not putting up with her shit this year." Ron coughed at the curse word that slipped from her mouth. Hermione pursed her lips. "Yea. Sorry. I know."

Draco wanted to kiss her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her senseless. Seeing her verbally attack Pansy drove him mad with arousal. He loved the timid, shy, always proper Hermione Granger, but the minute she turned into loud, outspoken, a little bit vulgar Hermione Granger he lusted after her. All he could do was stare at her.

"Really, Dray. Read your book." Hermione smiled at him, slightly embarrassed. He smiled back and picked up his novel. Every once and a while he looked up to glance at her. Sometimes he caught her staring at him, and she would snap her head back down into her magazine as that lovely pink covered her cheeks. Each time it happened his heart warmed.

Less then ten minutes later, Ginny entered the compartment. "You'll never guess, so I'm just going to tell you." She said as she settled down into Harry's side. "Pansy is down the hall balling her eyes out about loosing something. I couldn't catch what, but she looks like a four year old throwing a temper tantrum. She's stomping her feet and screaming 'Mine! Mine! Mine! Not hers! Mine!'" Hermione, Draco, and Harry thought the story was hilarious, knowing exactly what it pertained too. Ron, however, was not entertained. "Do you know what she's talking about?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry.

Harry took a quick glance at Ron. Then he looked at Draco and Hermione, who were currently smiling ridiculously at each other. "Yea. I'll tell you later." He kissed her forehead and she snuggled into him.

Nearly an hour later, Hermione had finished her magazine and huffed in her boredom. She looked out the window, but the scenery was not new and did not offer any source of entertainment. She huffed again. She dug in her bag to find something else to read. Coming up with nothing, she huffed one more time.

"My God, Hermione." Draco sighed putting his book on his lap. "Why are you huffing?"

She reddened in embarrassment and his annoyance disappeared. "I'm bored, and I can't find anything to do."

"Didn't you bring an extra book like I told you too?" Draco asked smugly.

"No, Dad." Hermione retorted sarcastically. She huffed again and threw her back on the back of the compartment bench.

"Well that's your own fault." Draco said turning back to his book. "Stop huffing. It's annoying."

"Here, here." Harry agreed.

Hermione shot him a look that made him never want to speak again. She turned side ways on the bench and looked at Draco.

"What?" He drawled, turning his head to face her.

"Lets play a game." Hermione offered.

Draco held up his book and shook it. "I'm reading."

Hermione pouted. Draco shook his head and turned back to his book. Hermione started to fake whine. "Please, Dray. Pretty please. Play with me." Draco did not even try to hide his groan of arousal; he was hoping the rest of the compartment took it as a groan of frustration. Listening to Hermione beg was something he could quickly get used too. He tucked the memory into his brain to pull out for later use.

Harry cocked an eyebrow at his curly haired friend. "Wow. Hermione. That's blunt." Harry muttered. "Do you want us to leave?"

Ginny smacked his shoulder lightly. "Relax, Harry."

Hermione blushed at the inference of her statements. She turned back to Draco and pouted again, batting her eyelashes obnoxiously. Draco chuckled and, giving in to her antics, turned his body to face hers. "Yay!" She bounced around in her seat and then held out her two hands, palms up.

"What do you want me to do?" Draco asked, clearly confused.

"It's a Muggle game." Hermione explained. "Put your hands on mine, palms down." Draco did as she said. Hermione's stomach warmed when his large, callused hands landed on hers. "Right. Now. The point of the game is to not let me slap your hands."

"What?" Before Draco could further the question, Hermione swung her hands out from under his and slapped the tops of his hands - hard. "Ow!" He rubbed his hands and glared at Harry and Ginny who were laughing hysterically. "This game is violent!"

"You're supposed to pull your hands away before she hits you, mate." Harry offered.

"Well maybe she should have told me that."

"Ok, lets try again, you cry baby." Hermione teased. This time when she went to slap his hands, she missed entirely. She tried again and again, but lost every time.

Draco pouted at her. "Poor, ickly Hermione can't hit my hands."

"Oh shut it." Hermione snapped playfully. The compartment switched focus from the Muggle game to Ron as he huffed and stood up, walking to the door.

"Muggle games are for children." He muttered loud enough for everyone to hear him before he left he compartment.

After Ron exited, Harry rolled his eyes. "Yet just last night he made me play Go Fish."

Hermione snickered then turned her attention back to the task at hand: trying to beat Draco. "Let's switch." On Draco's first, second, and third try he slapped Hermione's hands. Hermione pouted again and muttered. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked a Seeker to play."

Draco laughed sexily. "Maybe you shouldn't have. Are you done with your game, Nee?" Hermione nodded moodily. She turned to sit the correct way on the bench. "Don't be a sore loser." Draco desperately wanted to kiss her pouting lips, to make her smile. As their flirting continued, he became more and more sure that she wanted him to kiss her. But he wasn't ready to chance it.

Some time later Draco felt Hermione's head slump onto his shoulder. He tried to glance down at her without moving too much. He glanced back up and saw Harry smiling at them. "What do I do?" Draco whispered nervously.

"If I was you, mate, I'd put your arm around her. Take advantage of that shit." He offered his advice sounding extremely Muggle.

Draco looked at him, "Yea, Potter. Thanks." Even with the sarcasm in his voice, he took Harry's advice. He slowly eased her sleeping body up and slipped his arm around her shoulder. She immediately snuggled deeper into his side, resting her head on his chest. The way her legs came up under her bottom made Draco think she was actually awake. But as she sighed and whispered incoherently, he realized she was still dreaming. He smiled at the way she nestled perfectly against him. He would not have moved her for the world. He leaned his cheek against her hair, breathing in her heavenly honey scent. He brushed his lips against her hairline and turned back to his book.

Two hours later, Hermione was still sleeping soundly against Draco. Ron had yet to return, but the prefects had come around to let everyone know they were close to the school. Harry had left to help Ginny with her trunk, promising to meet them at the carriages. Draco gently shook Hermione to wake her up.

"Mmm?" Hermione moaned as she came back to consciousness. She didn't move from her spot, instead she cuddled closer to Draco. He wrapped his arm around her tighter and whispered, "Nee? Wake up. We're almost to Hogwarts."

"Mmm?" This time Hermione sat up and looked around the compartment. "Was I leaning on you?" She asked.

"Yes." Draco answered simply, not at all bothered. Her face reddened and Draco chuckled quietly. He moved a stray curl off her face. "Pink suits you, Hermione." He whispered so quietly that if they were not the only two in the compartment, only she would have heard it. She smiled shyly at him before he said, "I'll go outside so you can change into your school clothes." She nodded and watched him leave the compartment.

_Pink suites me? _She shook her head, but kept smiling as she changed into her school robes leaving her muggle clothes underneath. She was curious about how this year would transpire. If she continued to flirt with Draco this way, she would probably neglect her studies. But Hermione could ace her exams right now if she was asked. She had read all five of her NEWTS books in the past week. Her smile grew as she thought of possibly walking hand in hand with Draco to and from class.

Outside the compartment Draco waited patiently for Hermione to open the door. He smiled and shook his head at how happy he was. A year ago he would have laughed in someone's face if they had tried to tell him he would be in love with Hermione Granger and his family was free from the Dark Lord's tyranny. His family. His smile faltered when he thought of his mother. His father had told him Voldemort murdered her, and it pained him to know his mothers last memory of him was in agony. It had taken months for him to realize her death was not his fault. He was pulled out of his reverie when Ron came back to the compartment.

He completely ignored Draco's presences and reached for the handle to the door. Draco put a hand over hid before he could open it. "Do you think I'm standing out here for my health? Hermione is changing."

Ron smirked. "I've seen her naked before." It didn't matter that he actually hadn't, Draco didn't know that.

"Ever the gentleman, Weasley." Draco's insides twitched with jealousy.

Just then Hermione opened the door. She frowned at the two men glaring at each other. "Draco, can you please help me with my trunk?"

He nodded, but of course Ron interrupted. "I'll get it for you, Hermione."

Draco shook his head as Ron stormed into the compartment and pulled Hermione's trunk off the rack. "Okay." Hermione said slowly. "Thank you." She gave Draco an apologetic look. He shrugged in response and grabbed his own trunk. The fact that Ron had 'seen Hermione naked' played heavily on his mind. He knew they had a past, but had he been wrong about the virgin comments? He tried to shake it off as all of them exited the train and found a carriage. Draco and Ron dropped the trunks off in the pile with the rest, and Ron ran into the train to grab his own trunk. He missed the fact that Hermione moved her hand to the crook of Draco's arm as they walked to the carriages. He smiled handsomely at her and she gave a timid smile back.

Draco could hear all of their peers whisper as they walked past. He smirked, knowing the talk was mixed between his family betrayal to Voldemort and the fact that Hermione was on his arm. "They are all talking about us, Dray." Hermione whispered, clearly annoyed.

Draco smiles. "You aren't used to the spotlight yet, Nee?" She scowled at his teasing. "Oh enough." He opened the door to an empty carriage. When she stepped on the first step he wrapped an arm around her waist to stop her and leaned into her ear. "They are talking about you anyway." She looked at him questioningly. "You're hair is dancing in the sunset."

Hermione blush deeply and nodded a thank you before ducking into the carriage. Just as he was about to enter and sit beside her, Ron pushed him out of the way and took his seat to Hermione's left. Draco fumed.

He quickly tried to regain control of his temper. In his efforts he spotted a flower patch a few feet from the carriage. He picked one of the small purple blossoms and jogged back to the carriage. He waited patiently for Harry and Ginny to get in before entering himself. He sat down next to Hermione and when she smiled at him, he smiled back.

He slipped the flower gently between her hair and her ear. Silently he brushed his hand over her hair and watched her eyes soften. His heart skipped a beat at her beauty.

Ginny sighed. "I remember when you did that same thing, Harry."

"Yes. So do I." Harry kissed his girlfriend gently on the lips. Draco felt a stab of jealousy over their kiss; he wanted to kiss his Hermione. He, however, settled for the satisfaction of watching Ron scowl at Hermione's giddiness over the flower.

A/N: The title of the chapter is from Secret Smile by the Rascal Flatts. All of these songs are on my itunes and I highly recommend them ).


	4. My Piece of One Sweet Love

A/N: Not all the chapters will be direct continuations of each other, but I wrote two and three together and realized after that it needed to be split up. The title of this chapter is from "One Sweet Love" By Sara Bareilles.

Thank you Kamikawi for the excellent advice and betaing. =) wonderful as always.

Baybeetricia ~ I'm so sorry he annoys you. I'm sure he'll be put in his place..eventually.

paigeey07 ~ I loved the ending as well =).

Smurphy ~ I'm sorry to squash any dreams of evil ron – but he was just in another compartment with Dean. (shrug).

fallingstar93 ~ I've contemplating the pansy/ron ship…You'll just have to stay tuned I suppose =)

Chapter 3: Have I Already Tasted My Piece of One Sweet Love?

For the rest of the short trip to the castle, Ron tried desperately to get Hermione's attention the way in which Draco had. To Draco's delight, however, Hermione's attention stayed fixated on the magazine she had already finished reading. She mumbled incoherent acknowledgements to Ron along the lines of "uh huh" and "mm" and "uht". When Draco realized that Hermione was slowly inching toward him, he silently praised Ron for being ridiculously annoying. By the time they had reached the castle, Hermione's thigh was flush up against Draco's. Draco had just shifted to wrap his arm around her in order to preserve his comfort, but the carriage door magically opened signaling their arrival in front of the castle.

Draco got out first and helped Hermione out of the carriage. The two did not wait for the rest of the carriage occupants before moving on. Draco wrapped her arm around his as they walked towards the Great Hall. On the short walk, Draco stayed silent as Hermione waved and said hello to the many friends she had yet to see. Hermione did not let go of Draco's arm once. He nearly skipped into the castle he was so happy. Of course, skipping was hardly becoming of a Malfoy. He may have changed his views completely, but too much change in a matter of a year may be pushing it. So he remained in his usual air of high society, proud of the pretty little thing on his arm. Who wouldn't be incredibly proud if they had the most beautiful and the most intelligent witch in Hogwarts on their arm?

When the students entered the Great Hall, they counted five tables instead of four. The table in the middle of the Hall had the school banner hanging over it. Figuring it was for the returning seventh years, they all sat at the table. For Draco, a new table most likely meant a new house. He sighed in relief at the prospect of living with his new friends this year. Being a traitor in Slytherin would prove too much for Draco to handle. His emotions could only take so much. Then he looked down at the lovely young woman on his arm, and he smiled at the prospect of still living close to her. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he had been terrified once they got to Hogwarts that Hermione and Harry would desert him.

As they sat down across from Ron and Harry, Draco noticed the clear divide in the students' house loyalty. Slytherin and Gryffindor settled on the far end of the table with Ravenclaw and Hufflebuff between them. Draco, of course, sat smack bang in the middle of the Gryffindor section, unconsciously latching onto Hermione from involuntary nerves. Hermione had Seamus to her other side whilst Draco sat beside Neville. Draco nodded politely to both young men while trying to ignore how Seamus' mouth hung open. Ron snorted at Seamus' reaction and muttered something to Dean, who was sitting beside him.

After the initial shock of seeing the Prince of Slytherin escort the Princess of Gryffindor, the group settled into a comfortable conversation about house pride.

"It will be a little different," Dean commented.

"Well, I'm looking forward to not having screaming first and second years around the common room," Hermione rested her elbow on the empty table, cupping her face with her hand.

"Here, here!" Harry and Draco chanted at the same time.

"Plus," Hermione continued, "it makes things a bit less awkward for Draco."

Neville looked apprehensively at Draco, but Draco ran with the comment. "Very true. I'll have you," he said and looked at Hermione quick before glancing around at everyone, "guys to keep me company."

Ron snorted. "Don't count on me." Dean snickered in agreement.

"Never have, never will," Draco responded calmly, without missing a beat.

Hermione gave him a small smile and then spoke over Draco to ask Neville about his summer vacation.

"Oh it was really great!" He smiled. "You know after…uh…everything." Hermione nodded as he continued. "My grandmother took me Italy for a few weeks. It was awesome."

"Wow. I've never been to Italy." Hermione smiling, her eyes showing she was imagining herself in the European country.

"You should go sometime. It was amazing." Neville agreed. "You have a house in Italy don't you, Malfoy?"

Draco looked up in surprise at being spoken to. "Uh. I _did_. Father sold it."

"Sold it?! Why?"

Draco's face fell. "It was my mother's favorite home." He answered honestly. "Too many memories."

Neville nodded. "There is a lot of that kind of thing happening these days. We sold my parents house finally."

Draco nodded. He was grateful Neville did not curl up into a ball at his honest answer. "Time to move on I suppose..." he mused.

"As much as possible." Neville added solemnly.

Just then the first years were herded into the Great Hall. They split into two groups as they walked past the new table. Hermione smiled at their bewildered expressions as they gazed wide-eyed around the Great Hall. She remembered her experience walking into the hall like it was yesterday. She was not as naive as the others in her class, having read '_Hogwarts: A History_' about four times before leaving home. The returning seventh years cheered obnoxiously when the first years were sorted into their own house; save Draco that is. He cheered, just with more decorum, seeing Gryffindors surrounded him.

Once all the little ones had been sorted accordingly, Dumbledore rose before the students and welcomed them back to the school. "Hogwarts, the same as us, has missed the peace. It is going to be our job to remain peaceful throughout the year. I look forward to watching all of you return to a normal, joyful school year. Would all the returning seventh years, I will call you eighth years, please wait at their table until Professor McGonagall comes to speak with you after the feast. Thank you. Tuck in."

"Not as enlightening as usual." Harry reflected.

"Well, Potter, he is getting up there in age." Draco said.

"Yes, but doesn't wisdom come with age?" Harry said.

"Of course, but so does exhaustion. He probably can't stand or talk for very long these days. Or maybe it tires him to think of catchy speeches." Draco replied, shaving off a large part of the pot roast for his meal.

"So, Malfoy, what NEWTS are you taking?" Neville said, changing the topic.

"Uh. Lets see. Potions, obviously, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Muggle Studies."

"Muggles Studies? Really?" Harry said. Hermione and Seamus listened as well.

Draco nodded as he swallowed his food. "My father is opening up a Muggle branch of his investment firm. He figures he can use magic to be more efficient with his information for his clients, and therefore better than other Muggle companies. He's talked to me about taking it over when I graduate."

"Cool!" Neville said. "Surprising – but cool."

"You?" Draco asked Neville.

"Well Transfiguration, Charms, and DADA, like you. But definitely not Potions – I'm taking Herbology instead. And instead of a fifth NEWT, I'm going to be a teacher's assistant for Professor Sprout."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "How'd you get the TA job?"

Neville shrugged. "I asked. I knew if I took any other course I'd probably wouldn't pass. It counts as a NEWT. Hermione, Harry? What are you taking?"

"I'm in the same classes as Draco, except Muggle Studies, as it would be pointless for me to take it. Instead I'm taking Arithmancy. I'm hoping to get a job at a research company after Hogwarts – you know making new spells and potions." Hermione said.

"Ambitious." Harry commented. "I'm doing the same thing as you, Nev; the internship thing. Except in DADA, obviously; to get an extra NEWT for my Auror exam. And then I'm taking Potions, DADA, Charms, and Transfiguration with these two."

The conversation died down and Hermione started to talk quietly with Seamus about his own NEWTS level courses this year.

"If you don't mind me asking, Longbottom, why are you being so nice to me?" Draco said.

Neville did not seem fazed in the least. "I know we've had our differences, but Harry is a really close friend of mine. He owled me a lot over the summer and you were topic of a few letters." Neville looked at Draco. "He told me you two became mates. I trust his opinion."

"But Ron's your friend too. As you can see he doesn't approve."

Neville shook his head. "Ron and I have never really been close. He's a right git, always has been." Neville spoke with an air of honesty that made Draco like him immediately. He smiled at the young man. When Neville smiled back, Draco realized he had just made another friend.

Half way through dessert, Harry sighed dramatically and pouted at Hermione. "We are out of chocolate crème pie."

"So?" Hermione took a bite of her apple crisp. "I didn't eat it."

"Hermione!" Harry whined. "Please go get some more from the girls."

"Why don't you get it?" Hermione laughed at his antics.

"Oh come on, Nee. You know Harry can't go down to ask those girls for pie. Ginny would get so jealous." Draco answered as seriously as possible, trying to help his friend. Everyone at the table knew Ginny wouldn't give two wits if Harry went to get chocolate pie from the Gryffindor girls.

"And why can't you do it, Dray?" Hermione smirked at Draco.

"You two have nicknames for each other?" Dean asked.

Hermione nodded at him and turned back to Dray. Her Dray. "Well?"

"Uhh..." Draco tried to think quickly.

Luckily, or unluckily as Hermione saw it, Harry beat him to the punch. "You know that you don't want him going over there to a gaggle of girls."

"And why's that Harry?" Hermione pushed for an answer, blatantly trying to maneuver away from being their servant.

Harry, ready to cause a stir, answered. "Oh come on, Mione. He's the Slytherin Prince Bad Boy who finally has a heart and tons of mystery? Do you really want those Gryffindor cats to steal your thunder?"

Hermione looked surprised at first, then blushed and realized Harry had hit it right on the nose. She let out an uncharacteristic growl before getting out of her seat and walked toward the girls, and the pie.

"Are you two dating?" Neville asked.

Draco shook his head, still smiling from her cave in.

"So she's free?" Seamus asked.

Draco frowned, not knowing how to answer.

"No." Ron answered.

"Oh so you're dating her?" Seamus proposed.

"He wishes." Draco snorted.

Harry laughed. "Hermione's not seeing anyone, but I wouldn't get too attached, Seamus."

Seamus looked back and forth between Draco and Ron, before looking down at Hermione. "Well whoever gets her is going to be one lucky guy. Have you seen her ass in those jeans?"

All six of the men looked at Hermione's retreating form. Draco sucked in a breath. Her round backside swayed seductively as she sauntered down the Great Hall. He felt a twitch of arousal in his belly. "There's no denying that." He muttered to the others.

"When did she take off her robes?" Ron asked.

"When she sat down." Draco replied still watching Hermione. "I thought you were interested in her. You sure don't pay attention to her."

Ron glared at Draco. "I know her far better than you do, Malfoy."

"I beg to differ." Harry answered. "I'm going to say that seeing she's spent nearly every waken moment with Malfoy this summer, he's got a little bit on you this year."

"We'll see." Ron muttered. Hermione reached her destination and the young men reluctantly turned their attention back to the food.

"Hey, Lav."

"Oh hey, Hermione! How was your summer?"

"Wonderful. I was wondering if you guys finished your chocolate crème pie yet?" Hermione looked over at the rest of the gossipy seventh year girls.

"Uh." Lavender grabbed the rest of the pie and smiled at Hermione. "Nope. Did the guys eat all of yours?"

Hermione laughed and nodded. "And Harry's lazy and didn't want to come over and get it himself."

"Oh. I figured it was for Draco." Hermione frowned, not wanting to start rumors about herself. Lavender continued. "Don't worry, Hermione. We aren't talking about you. Actually," she looked at the girls and started to get up. "Do you mind if I come over with you. I see you have an extra seat down there."

Hermione cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Of course."

"See you girls later." Lavender grabbed her handbag and robe and followed Hermione. "Thank you." She hissed.

"What's up?"

"You should know I asked McGonagall if I could room with you this year." Hermione raised her eyebrows as they walked. "My mother has some ties in the Ministry and found out how we'd be rooming this year. Anyway, I can't take being with those girls anymore. So catty, don't you think."

"Well." Hermione glanced at Lavender. "Yes." She was looking forward to maybe starting a closer friendship with Lavender. The only girl friend she had was Ginny, but even with one-year difference it was hard to maintain. There was no denying Lavender would have to prove she had released her gossipy ways – at least her gossiping about Hermione.

Hermione took her seat next to Draco, handing him the pie. "Oh lovely. You're so protective." He smirked at her.

"I like to keep what's mine." Hermione teased. Draco smiled at her open flirting.

Lavender sat between Hermione and Seamus. "Hello, boys." After they had all greeted her in return she asked them about their summers.

"So what brings you over here?" Draco asked.

Lavender smiled politely at him, trying not to step on any toes. "You know, a girl can only take so much gossip. Nearly seven years of it was enough for me." Hermione smiled at her new roommate.

After dessert had been cleared from the tables and the rest of the students had filed out of the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall came to the head of the table. All eyes focused on the professor as she began her speech.

"I know not all of you are as excited to see me as I am to see you." She started. "I hope that you 'eighth years' will embrace this year. It's high time for you to have a school year without the threat of Voldemort." She paused and looked at the somber faces in front of her. "But on a happier note. The rules!" All the eighth years groaned and she smiled inside as she pursed her lips to keep up her facade. "Yes. Well. Listen closely. We have put all of you in one dorm. You will not wear your house colors; you will wear the school emblem on your robes. The Headmaster and I are hoping all of you will break down the barriers between the houses."

"Good luck!" Hermione couldn't identify who called out.

"That's enough." McGonagall called out to the group. "As I was saying. Like all the other houses, yours will be divided between male and female. Because there are considerable less of you than in any one of the houses, you will be rooming with only one other person. You're names, like always, will be on the outside of your door. This year – all of you are adults. We are treating you as such. It will be much like a Muggle University in that respect." The group of young adults started whispering excitedly. Hermione rolled her eyes, trying to hide her intrigue and nerves about Draco possibly being in her room. "You will be allowed to have a member of the opposite sex in your room. However, he or she will have to be invited into the room in order to get in. Once he or she is invited in, they can get in whenever they like. Keep that in mind. Moving on.

"You will also be allowed to go to Hodsmeade every weekend. You are hear to finish your classes, yes, but we want you to feel as though you are still of age. Please treat this privilege with respect. As for your studies, you will have your classes with the current seventh years. You will have two less classes than them, however, because this year they are required to take electives. Don't let that keep you from finishing your assigned work. As you are older, I expect all of you to be more responsible for your work. Well, I think that covers everything. Are there any questions?"

"Do our doors lock?" Someone called out.

"You're a wizard, Mr. Boot. You figure it out." McGonagall answered as the other students snickered.

"Do we have a Quidditch team?" Harry called out.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. However, you are not eligible to win the House Cup. You will play all of the other houses. I suggest the four players that were going to be captain this year get together and plan out tryouts. You can only have one team." Harry and Draco frowned and glanced at each other. Hermione sighed, knowing it was going to cause a problem.

"Where is the portrait?" Hannah Abbot called out.

"Ah yes. Well that's important isn't it? It's actually not a portrait. The entrance to your common room can be found on the first floor, down the hall from the first year's History of Magic room. There you will find a new statue of Merlin. Tell him the password; the secret door will slide door open. The password is Lemon Drops. Yes, yes. The Headmaster chose it. It will change in a month. You're dismissed."

Slowly the group of eighth years got up from where they were sitting. "I didn't notice it before," Hermione whispered to Lavender as they left the Great Hall, "but there are a lot of people missing." She looked around. "This may sound morbid, but not all the people missing died in the war." It was not a secret that many of their classmates had died in the final battle or those leading up to it.

"Yea. My mom said that a lot of families moved away from Great Britain after the final battle. You know – to get away from it all." Hermione nodded, and they walked in silence as they made their way to the first floor statue.

The walk from the Great Hall to the eighth years' dorm was short, to say the least. The students, besides the Slytherins, did not see anything special in the common room. Hermione noted it looked pretty much like Gryffindor tower, except it wasn't in a tower. The walls weren't completely red and gold, but instead had a tasteful mixture of all the house colors. A massive fireplace stood in the center of the far wall with several armchairs and couches around it. Hermione was looking forward to curling up with a good book on a cold day. The inevitable wizard's chessboard was already set up in a corner near the hearth. A small melancholy smile appeared on her lips as memories from previous years flooded her mind.

Hermione was yanked away from her reverie when Lavender pulled her toward the female hallway. Their room was quite easily found as it was one of the first rooms in the long hallway. Simply furnished, it contained two beds, two wardrobes, two desks, and two small closets. There was an overhead lamp that was extremely bright so Lavender charmed it to dim slightly.

"Well looks like we're going to have to go shopping." Hermione mused as she fiddled with the school blanket. There was no way to hide her disappointment with the room. However, Hermione never gave up the chance to shop. Her mind was already buzzing with a color scheme plan.

"You'd think they'd give us the nice rooms, but I guess not." Lavender huffed and fell back onto her bed. "I know that we can go to Hogsmeade every weekend, but can we go to Muggle London?"

"Probably not. But we can order things through town."

"True." Lavender rolled to her side and propped her head up with her elbow to look at Hermione. "So. Tell me what's going on with you and Malfoy."

Hermione blushed and started to change into more comfortable clothes. Not being shy about her petite body, she stripped down to her knickers and walked to her wardrobe. "Nothing really."

"I don't buy it. You flirt like maniacs."

"Well I flirt with Harry sometimes too, but he has a girlfriend!"

Lavender laughed. "You do not flirt with Harry like you flirt with Draco. It's painfully obvious you two want each other."

"He doesn't want me." Hermione slipped on a pair of pajama shorts she had bought before she left. "Can we talk about something else?" Hermione whined as she pulled a matching top over her head.

"Of course. Lets discuss who we want to be let in our room."

"Good idea. Lets come to an agreement – because there are some people I do not want in here. Like Blaise Zambini."

"Mmm. Yes. Terry Boot is a no no."

"Really?" Hermione asked. "I think he's kind of cute."

"Maybe so, but he's been trying to get with me. And I'm trying to get with Seamus, so it's counterproductive."

"Ok. And I know this is going to sound weird, but please do not invite Ron in." Lavender raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Just…don't."

"One day you'll have to explain that to me."

"One day." Hermione wasn't ready to divulge her discomfort over Ron's attraction to her. Everyday Hermione tried to push Ron away, it seemed as if he gripped her tighter. The more she felt his desire to be around her, the more she wanted to escape. She did not want to be around him, but Harry did. She did not want to come between Harry and Ron, ever. She hadn't told anyone that information, and she wasn't going to start with Hogwarts most recent ex-gossip queen.

"But Harry and Draco are ok?" Hermione nodded to Lavenders question. Lavender shrugged. "Let's say that if anyone we haven't discussed comes up – we'll ask prior."

"Sounds good. Oh and Neville is ok." Lavender smiled at her as she got up to walk to the door. "See you later. I'm going to hang out in the common room."

"You aren't going to read the required reading for your class tomorrow?" Lavender asked seriously.

Hermione didn't turn around but answered as she walked out. "I've already read it once." Lavender grinned as she changed in the room. Maybe a fun Hermione would be a good thing; less stress over schoolwork, more socializing. She was glad she requested to be in a room with her. Maybe they would rub off on each other.

Draco arrived in the common room a few minutes before Hermione. "Well I'm not going to miss the dungeons, that's obvious." He said to no one in particular as he sat in an oversized armchair.

"I tend to agree, Malfoy." Theo Nott sat down in the armchair opposite Draco's. He reached over the short table between them and held out his hand.

Draco shook his hand and smiled at his housemate. "Did you have a good summer, mate?"

They talk with slight apprehension about their summers. Draco explained what happened with him and his father, and Theo showed his jealousy of their 'freedom'. Although Theo's parents had never taken part in the war, for either side, everyone assumed that because Theo was in Slytherin, he was a Death Eater.

When Hermione walked into the common room, she saw Draco and Theo in a conversation that looked very serious. She didn't know Theo very well, and if she had, she would have known he always looked serious.

She walked over to the armchair Draco was sitting in, and gently put her hand on his far shoulder. Without looking he knew it was Hermione from her touch; it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Hey. You know Theo Nott, right?" He smiled up at Hermione. His breath caught when he noticed he could see pretty much all of her leg from the length of her pajamas. The shirt she wore clung to her curves causing him to shut his eyes tightly in order to calm himself.

When he opened them again, Nott had Hermione's left hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"S-same." Hermione stuttered. It was not as though Hermione was attracted to Theo, but his confidence and intensity shocked her. She had never talked to Theo before, always thinking he had thought himself one better than others. She finally understood the old adage "Don't judge a book by its cover."

Draco was not at all thrilled with her stuttering reaction to his introduction. He wrapped his arm firmly around Hermione's petite hips and pulled her to sit on the armrest of his chair. At the same time he shot daggers at Theo, who was smirking at Draco's claim. Theo was half expecting Draco to start relieving himself on her leg like a common mutt. Silently, Draco cursed himself for feeling so protective over her. He had no right to, but he could not help but feel threatened.

Draco snuck a look at Hermione. She looked slightly surprised herself, but she gave him a small smile before squeezing his shoulder lightly. She walked around the front of the armchair just as Harry, Seamus, and Lavender joined the group. Harry smirked as he watched Hermione nestled herself beside Draco in the oversize chair. The chair was large enough so they were not sitting directly on top of one another, but she could have chosen a number of other seats. Harry secretly hoped that they would open up to each other soon.

As the number of eighth years in the common room multiplied, the conversation quickly turned to Quidditch. It was clear to everyone the largest problem to overcome was who would be Seeker. The Seekers of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had graciously bowed out of the race, knowing full well that Draco or Harry should take it. The problem was Draco and Harry were pretty much equal in skill these days. Harry was a natural from the start, yes, but Draco worked extremely hard over the years to match Harry.

"All I'm saying is, I don't think you should get the position just because you were the youngest Quidditch player in a century!" Draco exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Dray. Calm down. I don't think Harry is saying that at all." Hermione tried to help ease the situation a bit. "I just think he's trying to say it's not fair that he DOESN'T get it for that very same reason."

"Exactly!" Harry grinned at Hermione. Draco however scowled. Hermione frowned at Draco's reaction.

"I was just trying to help."

Draco grunted and ran his hands through his hair with frustration. "How are we going to figure this out?"

"How about a competition?" Neville chimed in. "Seems like the simplest solution, doesn't it?"

"So we let the snitch go and whoever gets it first plays Seeker?" Harry asked.

"Pretty much." Neville said, sitting back in his seat. "Fair and square."

Hermione frowned again. She knew the decision could be made no other way, but she also new she would have to console one of her friends. She did not see an easy out of this situation. She huffed dramatically. Draco placed a hand on her bare thigh to relax her. The skin he touched burned under his fingertips. Her eyes snapped up immediate locking with his. His cheeks were red. Hermione figured he was blushing from embarrassment, but Draco was flushed from arousal. Her skin was sinfully smooth under his. Wordlessly and reluctantly, he took his hand off of her thigh and placed it on his own.

He turned back to Harry. "Sounds like a good idea to me. The only way really."

"Next week then? Friday? After classes?" Harry propositioned.

Draco calculated it in his head. That gave him exactly a week to practice. "Friday it is." The determination in Draco's voice sent a shiver up Hermione's spine. He was so damn sexy when he talked Quidditch. He looked more alive in that moment than Hermione had seen him all summer. Quidditch was his constant, his rock. Hermione thanked Merlin Hogwarts hadn't taken that from him this year. She only hoped Harry would not either.

The rest of the night the Quidditch players scheduled similar competitions for the rest of the positions as well. Hermione was dreadfully bored with the whole ordeal, but sitting next to Draco kept her content.

Once and a while his arm would bump hers or his fingertips would brush her skin, and she would be in heaven. Her heart beat faster every time it occurred, and the smile on Draco's face made it seem like he had done it on purpose. _I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose._ However, her thoughts were scattered when the house elves delivered everyone hot chocolate. He wanted marshmallows to put in his drink, but Neville, a few feet to the right of Hermione, was hogging them. Instead of asking Hermione to reach over and obtain the sweets, he reached behind her, leaning close to her body. She was pushed into the cushioned arm of the chair as he reached past her.

"Enjoying your cocoa?" He whispered in her ear. His hot breath caused her to accidentally release the smallest of moans.

She took a moment to compose herself before turning her face to look at him. Their faces were centimeters apart. "A girl can't say no to chocolate, Dray."

He continued to whisper to her. "I was a little surprised when you took one. Usually you're against sugar this late at night."

She smiled sweetly at him. Her reply was thick with seduction. "What can I say? I'm easily tempted."

Draco raised an eyebrow and brushed a stray curl behind her ear. "I'd claim the opposite."

"Well if I was tempted by something that was as sweet as this hot chocolate, it would be very easy." She mused taking a sip of the steamy chocolate.

"And what happens if it is?"

Hermione smiled sweetly. She hoped they were talking about the same thing: him. "Then once I taste it, I won't be able to get enough."

Draco returned her smile. "And how do you decide to give it a taste?"

Hermione threw her head back and laughed loudly. It drew the rest of the young men in the common room to them. "Oi!" Harry called out smiling. "What are you two talking about?"

Hermione didn't stop looking in Draco's eyes and answered. "Indulgence." She winked at Draco and put down her half empty mug. She stretched and yawned. "Well I think I'm going to head to bed, guys."

She walked over to Neville and kissed his forehead. He smiled and said goodnight. Theo raised an eyebrow at Draco as if to question what she was doing. Draco shrugged, "She always says goodnight like this."

Hermione bent down to kiss Harry's cheek, giving Draco and Theo a generous view. Her short shorts rode up as she bent at the waist and revealed the very tops of her thighs. Draco groaned and gulped down his steaming chocolate.

"Good god." Theo said sitting back, not breaking his eye contact with Hermione's backside. "Where was she hiding?"

Draco clenched his teeth in efforts to not punch his friend. "Watch it, Nott." He hissed. Theo smirked and turned to look at the fire.

Hermione laughed at something Harry said and then made her way to Ron. Draco's fist involuntary tightened as he saw the smile Ron threw at Hermione. She bent down to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, but he placed his hand on her hip to stop her from leaving. She glanced down at it, removed it, and said goodnight before walking toward Draco.

Draco calmed immediately when he saw her heading his way. He sat up a little straighter in his chair and flashed her the most amazing smile he could muster. "My turn?" He asked greedily.

Hermione laughed. "You're favorite part of the day?"

"Of course." She smiled down at him as she bent down to kiss his cheek. Her hand slid from his cheek to his neck. Her fingers traced his pulsing vein causing his lower region to pulse too.

She pressed her plump lips against his cheek and whispered, "Good night, Dray. Sleep well."

"Good night, Nee. Sweet dreams."

She stood up slowly fighting the urge to kiss his eyes, nose, ears, and lips. She smiled sweetly at him, ran her thumb over his cheek and backed away. She moved to the girls hallway and on her way called, "Good night, boys," over her shoulder. All five young men watched as her hips swayed as she retreated. There was no denying she had blossomed over the years, and every male Hogwarts student appreciated it.


	5. Get Your Hand Off My Trigger

A/N:Yes - I am an Idiot. I skipped over chapter 4 and went straight to 5..how rude of me.

So i have taken chapter 5 off and posted 4 and reposted 5. wow i'm ridiculous.

This week's chapter is from Walk Away, by Kelly Clarkson.

Chapter 4: Get Your Hand Off My Trigger

"One more class and then the weekend – finally." Ron sighed as he poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

"Ron, it's only the first week. It couldn't have been that bad." Neville said.

"I know, but it was."

The Thursday dinner table fell into an awkward silence as the eighth years contemplated Ron's claim. Besides a few homework assignments, the students came through the week pretty much unscathed. They ignored the comment in order to avoid an argument with the temperamental red head. Eventually, they all knew, Ron was going to have to accept responsibility was an aspect of life. The war had pushed everyone to his or her limits and taught them the important things in life. The simplicity and normalcy of Hogwarts was one of the important things, for now.

"Well who is going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Hermione asked cheerfully.

Draco sat up straighter, deciding to listen first – then answer.

"I can't." Harry said. "Ginny is already on my case about not spending enough time with her, and she can't go. So we're going to have Dobby make a picnic for us."

Hermione's face softened. "Cute." She secretly wished in that moment that she were Harry Potter's girlfriend. He treated Ginny like a princess. Draco had not missed her reaction and placed the idea in the back of his mind for future use.

"Well I can't either." Ron huffed. "I have homework to do all weekend."

"You haven't finished it? We just had a free period." Hermione asked.

"Um…no. Only you would finished four days of homework already." Ron said.

"I'm done." Harry added. Draco, Neville, and Lavender agreed.

"What? When did you find the time to finish?" Ron asked.

"When I wasn't doing anything else." Harry shrugged. "I think it's time for you to buckle down."

"Yes, Mum." Ron mumbled.

"Well, Seamus and I are going on a date. But we are still going to meet at the Owlery to send out for decorations for our room, right?" Lavender asked.

"Oh definitely." Hermione smiled at her friend. Lavender rambled endlessly about her feelings for Seamus. Hermione could only hope their date this weekend would stimulate new conversation.

"Well I can go." Theo smiled at Hermione.

Hermione looked over at Theo and gave him a small smile of gratitude. "Thanks, Theo. That'd be great." Unease sat at the bottom of Hermione's stomach, but she was unwilling to make a scene, as Theo had never given her a reason to doubt him. Draco and Theo got along well, so she thought she should give him a chance.

Draco's look to Theo shot daggers. Theo's face screwed up in confusion. He was straightened out quite quickly when he felt Draco's foot collide with his shin.

"Ow!!!" Theo glared at Draco. Leaning back so he was out of Hermione's eye sight, Draco furiously shook his head and hands to call Theo off. Realization dawned on Theo, "Oh. Actually, Hermione, I forgot that I had plans with Blaise this weekend."

Unfortunately for Theo and Draco, Blaise was not to far down the table and heard Theo's claim. "Oi! Nott! I think I forgot about that. I made plans with Daphne." Theo cringed.

"Uh…No worries, mate." Theo received a swift kick in the shin again. "Ow!! Well I guess it's better that I can't go out with Blaise either, cause I think I have rest my leg. Old injury flaring up." Theo continued to rub his sore shin as he glared at Draco.

Draco smiled smugly. "Well I can go with you, Nee."

Hermione smiled brightly at the blonde. "Well good. I didn't want to go alone."

"Of course."

"Are you ready for the competition tomorrow?" Hermione asked as she forked some food into her mouth.

"I hope so. I've practiced every day. I think I'm going to go out after dinner for one last time."

"It will be dark by then. I was hoping you'd go over my potions paper for me."

He looked at her apprehensively. "Can I go over it when I get back?"

Hermione chuckled. "Do you need to practice again? You aren't going to get any better in one night. You should take this night off to relax."

"Are you trying to distract me so Potter wins?" Draco raised an eyebrow in question.

"Can you be distracted?" Hermione teased.

Ron's green monster sprang to life. "You know, Hermione, we can always go over Potions together tonight. Malfoy can go try to learn how to fly a broom, and you and I can go over the paper." Ron smile grew when he saw Draco's scowl.

"I'm quite certain Draco knows how to fly a broom, Ron." She retorted. "I was asking Draco to go over my assignment, because he already did it. He knows what he's talking about in Potions, so he won't have to copy my work."

"I wouldn't copy you're work. People say that helping is one way of learning. You could help me and learn at the same time. Then I'll be done with part of my work and we can go to Hogsmeade together tomorrow." Ron did not notice the collective cringe at the table.

"Or…you could do your paper on your own tomorrow. When you're done I'd be happy to go over it with you – as I'm sure you'd need it. And I can go to Hogsmeade with Draco as planned!" Her anger slowly rose as she spoke to Ron. Harry snorted as her fist hit the tabletop to punctuate the statement. Without another word, she left her half-eaten dinner, turning her back on him.

Ron gaped at the spot Hermione once sat. "What was that about?"

"I think that was a blatant 'fuck off'." Harry said.

Ron frowned. "I was only trying to figure out a way for us to spend time together. We would have had fun and she wouldn't have had to suffer with Malfoy.

Draco fumed. Regardless of his anger, he let Harry handle his 'best friend'.

"Really, Ron." Harry sighed. "She wants to spend time with him. She asked him to go over his paper. She agreed to go to Hogsmeade with him. If she didn't want to she would have said something – clearly." He raised his eyebrows at him.

Draco felt a bit awkward sitting before Ron and Harry as they discussed Hermione's feelings for him.

"I refuse to believe she'd have a better time with him then with me."

"Then you're ignorant." Harry said without hesitation.

Yes, now Draco felt extremely awkward. His body betrayed him in its utter refusal to listen to his mind. He knew he should leave, but he wanted to know two things: what Hermione thought of him and if Harry approved of a potential relationship. With Hermione's parents gone, Harry was her family.

"Excuse me?" The color of Ron's face blended evenly with his hair as he glared at Harry. Any other person would have shriveled in fear at Ron's dominant gaze, but Harry challenged him with his conviction. Ron's consistent temper tantrums and close-minded views slowly pushed Harry away. He knew Hermione had already drifted away from Ron, but Ron was too stubborn to see it. It had taken a matter of minutes to start Harry's distaste for Ron.

A MEMORY

"_Mione?" Harry stepped into the darkened corner of the library. When she had not stayed for Mrs. Weasley's dessert, he knew she would be here – her sanctuary._

_She sniffled. "Hi, Harry."_

_Harry frowned as he sat beside her. Since her parents had passed, Hermione had morphed into much more than his best friend. She had become his sister. Sometimes, like these times when his worry overwhelmed him, he called her just that. "Oh, sis, what happened?"_

"_Ron happened."_

"_What did he do?"_

"_It's really not important."_

"_Hermione..."_

_Sighing, she answered his original question. "He pulled me aside after dinner and told me it was unacceptable that I was so nice to Draco. He said if I continued I'd just be another Slytherin slut." She sobbed into her hands._

_A fuming Harry wrapped his arms around her. "Ridiculous. First things first – Do you like Draco…more than a friend?"_

_Hermione stopped crying. Horrified, she raised her eyes to meet his. "You know? Does anyone else know? Do you think Draco knows?"_

"_Whoa. Slow down. No one knows. I only know, because I know you so well. You are so happy when he's around. Even if you are yelling at him, you seem happy."_

_The darkness hid the blush that crept up her cheeks. "I can't explain it, Harry. He's different now. I want to be around him all the time – but Ron. He ruins everything for me." The tears started to escape her eyes again._

"_Oh come on. Please stop crying." He hushed her until her sobs subsided. "When did you stop telling me everything, Mione?"_

"_What?"_

"_You didn't tell me you have feelings for Malfoy, and you didn't tell me you stopped considering Ron a friend." Harry read her like a book. _

"_Harry – It just seems impossible now. Ron and I just don't see eye to eye - well, ever. Maybe once we did, but not anymore. I'm fairly certain if it weren't for you, I would have grown away from Ron years ago. And I'm not blaming you – I didn't want to make anything uncomfortable for you. I tolerate him – for you."_

_Harry kissed her head. "You really have to make your own choices in life, Mione. If you choose to not be friends with Ron – I will back you. And if you choose to not be with Draco – I will back you. You are the closest thing I have to family – I would never put anything before you."_

"_But Ron – "_

"_Is a git. Everyone, including me, knows that. I just understand him better than others."_

"_But Ginny –"_

"_Loves you like I do. We will both be behind you."_

_Hermione sighed in relief. She wiped the tears away along with the fear of losing her best friend. "Thanks, Harry. So…um…What's for dessert?"_

END OF MEMORY

"You heard me, Ron. You are too narrow minded to actually see reality. She wants to spend tomorrow with Malfoy, not you."

"Malfoy is the only person free tomorrow! She didn't want to go alone!"

Draco's uncomfortable meter shot through the enchanted roof. "I'm going to go." He stood up, placing a few biscuits in a napkin.

Harry frowned as he watched the blonde retreat from the scene. He turned back to Ron. "You need to wake up and smell the roses, or you're going to lose friends."

"Hermione?"

"And me." Harry answered before jogging to catch up with Draco. When he did he slowed down to Draco's speed, walking beside him in silence.

"You didn't have to say all of that." Draco said.

"Yes. I did. You are more my friend than Ron these days. And you deserve happiness just like, if not more than, the rest of us." Harry was not quite sure how to navigate a moment like this with Draco.

"Thanks, man." Draco said softly.

Harry smirked. "Yea well. I'm also kind of hoping she does distract you this tonight."

Draco laughed and pushed Harry into the stonewall. "Git." He mumbled. "In all seriousness, Potter. Are you ok with this?"

"What's this?" Harry asked.

Draco shrugged. "For the lack of better words – me pursuing Hermione."

Harry nodded. "I'm ok with it. Just don't hurt her."

Just then Neville jogged up to Draco's other side. "Ron and Dean went flying. Ron's livid." An awkward silence fell between the three young men as they walked down the hall. That is until Neville broke the silence with a happy request. "So, Malfoy. Want company while you practice tonight? I wouldn't mind practicing my flying. I'm bloody awful."

Draco smiled at him. "I actually think I'm going to take the night to relax."

"They aren't even dating, and he's bloddy whipped." Harry slammed into the stonewall once again that night.

An initial sweep of the common room revealed no Hermione to the three young men. "She must be in her room." Neville said as he set up the Wizards' Chess board. Harry sat across from him.

"Uh…yea. I guess…I guess I'll go there then." He turned on his heals in the direction of Hermione's room. Draco tried to act calm and normal as he walked down the girls' hallway. He had no clue why his stomach seemed to settle in his throat. He had been alone with Hermione before. He had even been in a bedroom with her before. Of course, at that time they were still enemies and he was nearly dying.

Taking a deep breath, Draco perched himself on her doorframe to watch her work. She expertly moved her quill over the parchment to produce a small, neat script. From his distance he could not see the writing, but he had committed her penmanship to memory. He knocked lightly on the doorframe.

Without looking she said, "Come in!"

"Are you sure?" Draco asked, referring to the charm.

"Of course!"

He settled on her bed a little apprehensively. "I brought these for you." He handed her the biscuits. "I know you didn't finish dinner."

Hermione's eyes softened. "Thanks, Dray."

Draco smiled played sexily on his lips. "Anytime. Do you want to go over your paper here? Or in the common room?"

"You're actually going to skip your flying time?"

"Of course. You said you were going to distract me. A man can't pass that up."

Hermione laughed. "I never gave you an answer, Dray."

Draco decided to leave the possible distraction alone, for now. "So I'll just go get my assignment. Then come back here?" Hermione nodded in affirmation as he walked into the hall. A silly grin was plastered to his face. It pleased him that she had not dwelled on the encounter with Ron. His mind reeled with possibilities for their date on Saturday. _Date? Was it a date?_ Even in his confusion, Draco could not push the smile off his face.


	6. I'll Hold You So Near

A/N: The Lyric this week is from "Come Fly With Me" – A Frank Sinatra song, but I have the cover by Michael Buble.

Chapter 5: Once I Get You Up There, I'll Hold You So Near

Draco drummed his fingers anxiously. His mind wandered from Professor Flitwick's high-pitched squeak dicussing the origins of the Fidelius Charm and instead, with eyes trained on the window, he silently calculated the wind speed and angle of the sun, whether he should fly with or against the wind. A light breeze would be ideal for the Quidditch competition. Charms class would end mid-afternoon, putting the sun behind the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Draco smiled to himself; he was prepared.

He tore his eyes away from the window. Nearly every one of his classmates had diverted their attention from the tiny teacher. Ron and Neville covertly read the newest issue of Quidditch Weekly under the table. Seamus winked shamelessly at Lavender throwing her into a fit of giggles, which of course infuriated Hermione. Draco smirked as he watched her huff in her annoyance and strain to hear Flitwick's every word. Hermione felt his gaze and caught his eye. He gave her a small smile. She returned it, finally taking her attention away from the professor. Propping her head on her fist she stared at Draco in open contemplation.

Only two men had ever gazed at her so openly. Victor Krum never seemed to take his eyes off of her, and when she looked into them all she saw was emptiness. Ron stared at her quiet often. As a confused 14-year-old, she thought she wanted to date him. During that time she had stared back. Her gazes on Ron had never lasted long, because his eyes spread an overwhelming eeriness down her spine, part of why she lost her feelings for him.

From his eyes, she could see his vulnerability and willingness. Her lips parted in realization as she stared into his eyes, forgetting the world around her. The longer she looked, the further she was pulled into him. Soon she was lost in a memory.

0o0o0o0o0

"_My Gods, Granger. Do you think you could scrub any harder?" Draco hissed. His grip on the pillow tightened to cope with the pain._

_Hermione did not know how to react to the injured blonde. Her brain told her to come up with a snappy retort and physically show him she could scrub harder, but her heart told her to do the exact opposite. Despite herself she bit her bottom lip and swallowed the rude comment. "Sorry." She whispered as she began to clean his wounds with less pressure._

_Draco frowned, expecting a comment to follow. "I don't need your pity, Granger."_

_She sighed, unsure how to navigate this conversation. "I know. But you deserve it."_

"_I don't deserve anything." He winced when he felt the warm cloth swipe over the unscarred gash on his right shoulder._

"_You deserve much more than you seem to think, Malfoy." Unaware of the origin of her honesty, she continued. "It takes a lot to stand up for what and who you believe in. The fact that you did it to the most menacing wizard alive…well…you deserve everything we can give you."_

"_Is that why you are cleaning my wounds and not some unknown medi-witch at St. Mungo's?"_

"_Would you rather that? I'm sure I can find someone you don't know." She did not stop her cleaning of his oozing wound and Draco remained silent. Hermione dipped the bloodied rag into the bowl by the bed and squeezed out the pinkish water. As usual she started to sing to cover the awkward silence. "So help me if you can, I've got to get, Back to the House At Pooh Corner by one, You'd be surprised there's so much to be done, Count all the bees in the hive –"_

"_Why do you always sing that song?"_

_Hermione pursed her lips, unsure if she wanted to open up about her Muggle life. She swallowed her fears. "My mother used to play the record all the time. It reminds me of her."_

_Draco took a deep breath. "Your parents are dead." Hermione frowned at him. Draco willed his tears away as thoughts of his own mother pressed against his mind. "Was it hard…to cope?"_

"_Yes." _

"_Does the feeling of…of complete sadness ever go away?"_

_Hermione's heart softened toward the typically cold, young man. Clearly the loss of his mother plagued him. For whatever reason, she brushed his long bangs out of his eyes, causing him to turn to look at her. "It will fade, but once in a while you remember something or you see something that reminds you…then it hits you all over again." Their eyes locked, and she was unable to let go of the gaze. It was as though he was searching for something – for her forgiveness, for his salvation – in the depths of her honeyed eyes._

"_Can you finish the song, Hermione?" _

_Hermione smiled at his use of her given name for the very first time. "Of course, Draco."_

0o0o0o0o0

It had been the first time she had become lost in his eyes, the first time she had shared a part of her with him, and the first time they had used first names. If she thought carefully, she could equate that moment to the time they became friends. Under the connection of losing a parent, they had become friends. Now looking into his eyes, she saw more than a sad young man looking for hope. She saw caring, want and, possibly, even love.

She furrowed when she saw Draco slam his textbook shut on his parchment and shove his things into his bag. Confused she looked up at Professor Flitwick. Quickly she copied the assignment down under her incomplete notes. Draco walked over and peered at the parchment as she uncharacteristically wrote in an untidy scrawl.

"Tisk tisk, Nee. You weren't paying attention."

She smiled as she copied. Trained on the task at hand, she replied, "Yes well…easily tempted, you know."

Her reference to their conversation the week before made him chuckle. She picked up her bag and together they left the classroom, walking down the corridor. "Are you coming to the competition?"

"And miss my boys in action? You're joking, right? Of _course_ I'll be there." She swung her bag over her shoulder. "Do you feel ready?"

"I hope so." Draco grinned and leaned closer to her to whisper, "I'm trying not to look so confident. Hopefully Potter will get a sense of false hope."

Hermione chuckled. "Mind games never end well."

"Never say never, Nee. Where will you be sitting?"

"In the stands."

"Such cheek." Draco laughed. "I'll just have to look for you then. See you in a half hour?"

Hermione nodded and quickly brushed her lips against his cheek. "Good luck!" The whispers in the hallway increased. Draco grinned and ran in the opposite direction to get prepared.

~*~*~*~*~

Half an hour later more than half of Hogwarts, including the professors, had showed up to watch the final showdown between Draco and Harry. A friendship may have formed off of the pitch, but on it the two Seekers were very much enemies. Draco's eyes blazed with determination as Neville released the Snitch.

"Scared, Potter?"

"You wish."

Draco smirked before flying at top speed after the snitch. The sun was exactly where he had expected it to be. At this angle he would be able to see the flash of the gold Snitch everywhere around the pitch. He soared high about the stands scanning below him as he flew. Determination to win fueled his vigilance. He spotted Harry at the far end of the pitch search above him. Draco had a gut feeling the Snitch would be down low.

Draco's vigilance faltered when felt her eyes on him. His heart warmed as he flew routinely around the pitch, the feeling not fading. He hoped that the feelings would never fade. He felt loved, regardless of the ambiguity of her true feelings for him. He let himself relax for a few minutes, silently hoping he would not curse himself for it later. He sifted through the crowd, looking for her. Harry and Draco had been flying for nearly an hour, and the crowd had thinned considerably. For the most part, the remaining spectators were the eighth years and the professors. His eyes finally locked with hers. She absentmindedly fiddled with her braid as she watched him hover in the sky.

His broom involuntarily moved toward where she sat in the Gryffindor section. When he got closer he realized her hair seemed to be dancing in the sunset. He squinted his eyes to see the colors of her hair. _Gold? I don't remember her having gold highlights in her hair._ He looked a little more closely and then saw it. The gold wings of the Snitch had been reflecting the sunlight into her hair. Just as he was about to fly toward her to catch it, it flew away. He swore under his breath.

Harry was on the other side of the pitch, still looking for the tiny ball. Using every bit of his peripheral vision, Draco swooped down low to the ground, away from the Snitch. Everyone gasped at his sudden dive, and Harry took notice. He dived after Draco, hoping to catch sight of the prize. When Draco was certain Harry was about to overtake him, he barrel rolled out of the dive and soared in the direction of the Snitch.

Hermione jumped out of her seat screaming for Draco to fly faster. When she realized that his chase was going to be a little longer than expected, she started to chant under her breath. "Go…Go…Go…Come on, Dray." Harry, having taken a minute to catch on to the diversion, crept closer and closer to him as they both raised after the same prize. Hermione watched Draco reach his arm out toward the gold ball. Harry inched in front ever so slightly, blocking the snitch from the crowd. Hermione screamed in frustration as they heard the enchanted whistle signal the retrieval of the Snitch – but no one knew who caught it. She held her breath waiting for Harry and Draco to circle back toward the crowd.

Hermione let out a deafening scream of happiness when Draco zoomed to the ground grasping the small golden ball. She clapped her hands and squealed in delight as she raced down the stairs to meet Draco on the field.

"I WON!" Draco said as he ran to meet Hermione half way. She laughed at his explosion of emotion. Their bodies collided into a celebratory hug, and Draco lifted her up and spun her around.

"I knew you would, Dray!" Holding on to him tight, she continued to laugh. Her feet soared in the air almost as though she was flying as well, but he kept her grounded. He finally put her feet back on the ground and their laughter faded as their eyes met. She pushed his sweaty hair out of his eyes. "You fly so beautifully. I knew you would win."

"Thanks." He answered huskily. His empty hand traced her jaw line and rested it against her cheek. Hermione's lips parted as Draco's head dipped down. Anticipation ripped through Hermione's body, only to be shattered by Ron's angry holler.

"Bloody hell! He cheated!"

Draco's head snapped up in fury. He wanted to murder Ron for disrupting his celebratory kiss and the allegations he was spitting. Hermione groaned and let her head fall to Draco's chest in frustration.

"Excuse me?" Draco looked up over Hermione's head.

"You heard me, Malfoy. You. Cheated."

"Like hell I did, Weasel." Draco sneered. Hermione cringed at Draco's use of Ron's old nickname. "You have no reason to think I did. I just played the game."

Harry had just arrived at the scene, after being consoled by his girlfriend. Ginny frowned at her brother. "Stop being a git, Ron. Everyone knows he didn't cheat."

"How else do you explain the fact that his old broom model out flew Harry's brand new model?"

"Smart flying." Harry answered. "Back off, Ron. Malfoy didn't cheat. He won fair and square." Harry held out his hand to the blonde. "Congratulations. Good game."

Draco took it without hesitation. "You too, Potter."

Ron huffed dramatically and stormed out of the pitch. Harry looked at Ginny with an air of defeat, not over the competition but over his friend. Hermione sighed as she saw another reason for Harry to lose his grip on his friendship with Ron. It was not her intent to drive a wedge between the two friends, but Ron was making it extremely difficult for anyone to stay close. Hermione gave Harry a consoling hug and kiss on the cheek. He thanked her as he wrapped an arm around his girlfriend.

With a bit of guilt, Draco watched Harry and Ginny turn and leave the pitch. Draco could tell Potter was upset, just as he would have been if he had lost. Winning the competition had been an immediate ego boost for Draco. He had beat Harry one, final time, officially. Draco did not think about the future often, but he hoped that the years to come had several Quidditch games with the raven haired Seeker. Harry presented a challenge to him, and very few things in his life did that.

"Hot chocolate in the kitchens to celebrate?" Hermione asked cheerfully as she boldly wrapped her arm around his toned waste.

Draco smiled. "I can't say no to chocolate." He would verify if his friendship with Harry was still intact tomorrow. Tonight he was going to celebrate his victory with the curly-haired witch who had unknowingly stolen his heart.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

An hour before lunch, Draco and Hermione met in the common room. Both wore masks that successfully hid their nerves. The hour leading up to the meeting left Hermione and Lavender's room in complete shambles. Practically every article of clothing she owned was now scattered across the tiny room. Every outfit she tried seemed so normal, so mundane. Draco had seen her in every one. Her nerves were a complete mystery. She had spent plenty of time with Draco over the summer. Their walks in Muggle London actually brought them closer together. She still remembered the first with fondness.

0o0o0o0o0

"_Do I really need to walk, Hermione?" Draco complained._

"_Yes." Hermione said. "Walking is good for the body and the soul."_

"_My soul is just fine." _

"_Draco – It's a week after the final battle; nobody's soul is fine."_

_Draco looked down at his feet. "Well – where are we going?"_

"_To my favorite park in London." Hermione smiled. "You'll like it."_

"_How do you know?" Draco asked smugly._

"_I just do." _

_Draco dropped his head, trying to hide his hopeful smile._

0o0o0o0o0

He had liked it. Hermione could not drag him away from the quaint park until hours later. Cloud gazing had never been more fun. After that first walk, they spent every single day together; except for the one weekend she spent with her dreadful aunt.

Draco's nerves circled around the ambiguity of the status of the outing. He was unsure if it was a date, or if she even wanted it to be a date. To him, it constituted a date. Through his years at Hogwarts, going to Hogsmeade with a girl, and no one else, was always considered a date. Yet this was Hermione, and they had hung out plenty of times before just on their own.

When they finally reached the village, Hermione and Draco headed straight to the Owlrey. Hermione planned to meet Lavender there to buy decorations for their room, and Draco resolved to buy some so as to make his room more 'him'. The girls poured over the Muggle catalogues trying to match their items, but still maintain some individuality. Draco thought it was pointless to match the room. He wanted his side of the room to be all him. Seamus did not bother looking at the catalogues; he had no interest in sprucing up his room.

"We _are_ only here for eight months, you know?" Seamus said as he held the door of the Three Broomsticks open for the two young women. Draco took the door from him allowing Seamus to enter after them.

"Yes, but the blanket and lamp they gave us are so depressing." Lavender cringed as she pictured the two items. "I can't feel at home with things so ugly."

"I second that." Draco said.

"Well. I'll admit…I just wanted to spend money!" Hermione laughed.

Seamus rolled his eyes and looked at Draco. "You're going to have your hands full with that one." Draco smiled and nodded in affirmation. He would not mind if she kept him on his toes, even if it was financially. He would give the world to make her happy.

And that is pretty much how the rest of the lunch went. Draco threw comments at Seamus about dating Lavender, and Seamus reciprocated. Hermione never batted an eyelash at the insinuation of some of the comments. It crossed Draco's mind that she let it slide for the sheer point of saving face, yet he hoped that was not the reason but instead she was considering this a date too. The group of four laughed over butterbeers for an hour after they finished their meal. Draco could honestly say he had never eaten a meal that was so laid back. If you were on a date with a Slytherin, she did not share her man. Slytherin girls were characteristically catty if other girls came around. Plus, his dates usually ended in his bed. He enjoyed the difference immensely.

As the small group split in two, Draco placed his hand on the small of Hermione's back and guided her towards Honeydukes. "I've never been on a double date before." He said before realizing it.

"Is this a date?" Hermione said softly. She was unsure if he wanted it to be a date, and did not want to look too eager.

"Do you want it to be?" Draco's insides tightened in fear of a 'no'.

"It would be nice if it were." Hermione smiled, regaining a little more of her confidence.

Draco plucked up a little of his own courage and brushed his lips against her temple as they walked. "I agree." He whispered in her ear. As he pulled away he could not miss the gorgeous grin that spread across her face. He gently wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He was in heaven. Sure he had guided her through Diagon Alley heaps of times, but this time, at Hogsmeade, she was his date. He could not remove the smile from his lips.

He opened the door to Honeydukes. It magically chimed as Hermione walked past him and into the sweet shop. "I think you deserve a sweet today, don't you Dray?"

"Well, of course. I beat Potter at his own game – and I'm here with you." He grinned.

Hermione pursed her lips trying to remain serious. "Yes…well. I was actually referring to the conversation you had with Harry earlier this morning."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Oh, he already told you."

"You could imagine he was not easily able to contain his emotions." Hermione smiled proudly at the blonde. "It was really nice of you to offer him two of the games, Dray. And Slytherin to boot."

Draco's cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the praise. "Well I couldn't really play Slytherin and escape it alive. I gave him Hufflepuff too – that's not too much of a challenge."

Hermione dipped her hand into the jar of sugar quills and retrieved a few. "Even so…" She raised an eyebrow as she paid for her sweets.

Draco paid for the Chocolate Frog he had been contemplating during his short conversation with Hermione. Opening the package on his way out of the store, he lost control of the frog and it jumped right on Hermione. She let out a squeal of surprise and then laughed as the chocolate frog clung to her jacket.

"Lose your treat, Dray?" She picked it up and handed it to him.

"Thanks." He laughed and bit off the head. Together they turned to walk down the main street of the town. They walked in silence for a few minutes until Hermione started to hum her usual song as she consumed the quill. "Hermione?"

"Mmm?" Hermione sucked the sugar quill diligently. Draco shifted his eyes back in front of him to maintain his composure.

"I was just…um…I mean we've never talked about it." Hermione could tell the conversation he was looking to begin was going to be a bit awkward to discuss. She waited patiently for him to find his words. "Um…how did...uh…how did your parents die?"

Hermione frowned slightly, slightly regretting her decision to start humming. She had no aversion to discussing it, if he was truly curious. "A Muggle car accident. They were coming home from dinner one night and another car collided with theirs. I only found out because I tried to ring them the next day, and the Muggle police were at the house."

Draco nodded. "And that's when you moved in with Harry?"

Hermione shrugged. "I only have one aunt, and she doesn't know I'm a witch. I was eighteen at the time, so I hardly felt obligated to move in with family." Hermione paused to sit on a bench when she finished her sweet. "How are you doing? With your mum's death, I mean."

"It's just as you said it would be." He remained standing. "I've got good days and bad days."

"And today?"

He smiled. "Good. Very good."

"Well it's going to get so much better." Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him across the street.

"Where are we going?" He laughed, trailing behind her.

"The bookstore!" Draco did not know whether to laugh at the petite witch pulling him or roll his eyes. "Oh come on! We both love books."

Draco decided to roll his eyes, and then followed her into the store. They spilt and found their favorite sections. Ten minutes later, Hermione found Draco searching the "Classics" shelf. She held up the book she had found. "I read this a few years ago. It's really good, and it's about vampires. I'm sure you'll love it."

"I would love it because it's about vampires?" Draco flipped the paperback over to read the description on the back.

"Obviously." Hermione replied sarcastically. She laughed when he scowled at her response. "No, really. It _is_ a great book."

Draco smiled. "Well then you have to read this one." He took a book off the shelf in front of him and passed it to her.

"_Pride and Prejudice_. It's the only Jane Austen novel I haven't read, surprisingly. Have you read it?"

"No."

"Then why are you recommending it?"

"It was Mother's favorite novel."

"I'm not going to try to hide my surprise." Hermione whispered.

Draco chuckled. "She was nothing like the public made her out to be, Nee. I wish you could have met her."

Hermione smiled sadly at him. Draco did not speak of his mother very often, and she did not pry. Hermione was well versed in the arguments that plagued friends when they pushed too hard. She knew that when he needed to talk, he would come. She was slowly learning how to maneuver a relationship with the Malfoy men. "I'm looking forward to reading it."

Draco kissed her forehead once more that afternoon and guided her to the check-out counter. On their way they passed the "Adult Non-Fiction" section of the store. Catching a glimpse of _The Complete Guide to Karma Sutra_, Draco smirked as he randomly opened the book to 'The Lotus.' "Well I can't imagine that would be comfortable for a female."

Hermione looked up from _Pride and Prejudice_ to see what he was reading. "Really, Draco? Karma Sutra?" She smiled at him and then peered over his shoulder at the picture. The woman in the photo was on her back with her crossed legs pressed to her chest as the man penetrated her. She shrugged. "I can imagine any discomfort may be overcome by the pleasure."

Draco studied her for a moment. "You aren't blushing."

Hermione laughed. "Am I supposed to be?"

"We are talking about sex."

"Aren't you the master of the obvious? I don't think that answers my question though."

"Well…I guess not. I just figured you would."

"I'm a virgin, Dray. Not a prude."

"Oh. So you _are_ a virgin?"

"What?" Hermione's eyes darkened in anger and confusion.

"Ron said he saw you naked. So I was a little confused."

She stared blankly at Draco for a few moments before speaking. "I don't know what's worse: him lying about something like that or you believing him." She turned on her heels and found the cashier. Draco sighed, realizing he was in the wrong. He put the book back in its place and stood next to her at the counter. "I don't lie to you, Draco. I never have." She looked him directly in the eye to punctuate the truth in her statement. "I'll wait for you outside."

Frustrated with himself, he quickly paid for his book and tried to think of something to say to apologize. He still had no idea when he left the store. He stood and watched her pace back and forth on the other side of the street. He had only seen her in such a mood when she was trying to work out something. He was positive her thoughts were bouncing around recklessly.

He sighed again, unsure of how he had gotten himself in this position on their first date. He looked down at his feet and prayed for an answer to come to him. A smile broke across his face when he laid eyes on a small patch of purple flowers. He bent down and plucked one from the ground.

To his surprise she stopped her pacing after he had made it half way to her. He stopped and locked eyes with her. She sent him a small, apologetic smile and started to walk toward him.

"I'm sorry." They said together. Draco smiled at her and slid the flower behind her ear. She smiled brightly back at him.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. "I shouldn't have spoke to you like that."

"Nee! I should have trusted you. I'm at fault." He shifted his eyes to his feet. "I just don't like him."

"We're together on that sentiment I assure you." Hermione said. He smiled shyly, nodding in response. "Shall we go for a walk up to the Shrieking Shack?"

He smiled for what seemed like the millionth time that day as they walked in the direction of the Shack. As they went, his hand slid up her back and over her shoulder. She nuzzled closer to him as a fall breeze blew through the countryside.

"I'm cold." She said when they arrived at the top of the hill.

"Well I hope you know how to conjure a sweater from the leaves, because I'm not giving you my jacket." He smirked at her. He watched her jaw drop in mock shock. She had taken a few steps away from him when they reached the top of the hill to tie her hair back.

It was almost as if her body moved without her mind's consent. She moved towards him swiftly, wrapping her arms around his waist, tucked under his jacket. He looked down at her in authentic surprise, unsure of how to react. He was not expecting that.

Her smile quickly dissipated when she saw the shock written on his face. Frowning she tried to unwrap her arms from around him and move away. "Sorry. I just thought…I…"

Realizing this was a do or die situation, Draco quickly composed himself and pulled her back to him. "Don't." He whispered. She gave him a small smile and replaced her arms around his body. His breath caught as her fingers rubbed circles into his lower back. He moved a stray piece of hair behind the ear in which the flower was poised. He could not remember a moment in his life when he felt so complete. He traced her jaw with her thumb for the second time that weekend.

Without giving someone a chance to interrupt, he kissed her. She gasped shallowly as his lips gently covered hers. Bliss was the only word Hermione could think of to describe it, just pure bliss. His lips moved over hers slowly as if he was asking permission. She gave it to him by opening her lips. Letting her emotions take over, she leaned into him. His arms wrapped around her and held on tight, afraid she might come to her senses and flee. Hermione's hands slid up his back and clung to him. She traced his bottom lip with her tongue smiling against his lips when she heard his moan. The fire in his kiss grew at her advance. He moved a hand to her hair, removed her hair tie, and tangled his long fingers into her curls. Groaning into his mouth, she gripped his back in hopes to steady herself.

Coming up for air, she gasped and placed her head on his chest. She heard his heart beating fast and hard. A smile played on her lips, still feeling the tingle he left there. "Dray?"

"Yes." He answered breathlessly.

She looked into his eyes. "Do that again." He grinned at her before capturing her lips once more.


	8. There is a Storm Moving In

A/N: The title is from The Thunder Rolls, by Garth Brooks.

Chapter 7: There is a Storm Moving In

Over the next few weeks, Draco and Hermione grew together and nearly became one person. Wherever Draco went Hermione followed, and vise versa. If Draco was eating breakfast, so was Hermione. If Hermione was studying in the library, so was Draco. This being noted, they were rarely found as a couple. The first month of classes were littered with group outings and study sessions. If they were together, without the group, they could be found over textbooks in the back corner of the library or on a short walk around the grounds.

These times were filled with stolen kisses and loving gazes. No one knew about the kisses or the revealed emotions. Draco and Hermione had not discussed telling their friends, but they had not discussed not telling them either. The two continued on happily knowing that, for the time being, their relationship was all their own. Neither had broached the topic of labeling it, too scared to seem anxious. Truth be told, Draco only wanted the title of 'Hermione's Boyfriend' so their classmates would stop flirting with her and watching her ass as she walked away. Hermione wanted the title of 'Draco's Girlfriend' so she could hold his hand in the halls and kiss him goodbye after breakfast.

Harry had known the minute the couple had returned from Hogsmeade that something was different. He talked to Neville about it and together they confirmed their suspicions over the weeks. Draco and Hermione's small 'accidental' touches had not gone unnoticed. Harry had yet to see them openly display their affections, and he was going to wait until they did to congratulate them.

Draco and Hermione had not been on another date since the first weekend. Every weekend following the first had resulted in group outings to the Wizarding village. Draco always paid her bill at the Three Broomsticks. No one thought anything of it since he had done the same several times over the summer. He often led her around with a hand on her back or over her shoulder. If onlookers were careful, they would spy a hushed exchange that ended with a quick kiss on Draco's cheek or Hermione's forehead.

Class drug on - in Draco's opinion. The only part of learning he enjoyed was the study sessions with Hermione in the library. Regardless, Draco was successful in all his classes. He studied little, surpassed most of the class, and annoyed Hermione along the way.

Draco knew Hermione could do the same exact thing. She would never give up studying, because she loved it. The pair was neck and neck in the race to the top of the class. Snape, finally able to praise Hermione after her loss of Gryffindor colors, realized her potential immediately. He constantly asked Hermione to drop a class and take on the TA position for potions. She considered it for a while, but relinquished to keep up with all her classes. Snape never gave up trying, but he did make the class a lot easier for her.

He paired Draco and Hermione for their mid-semester project. Both had originally been very pleased at the assigned partnership. Very quickly they realized working together was harder than it originally seemed.

"What do you mean, you won't do it?" Draco snapped.

Draco and Hermione were slumped over a library table covered with Potions tombs. Hermione's forehead rested on the table in frustration, and Draco was about to pull his hair out. He had never imagined being able to be so incredibly attracted to and aggravated with the same person in the same moment. Hermione's curly hair was pulled back with a Muggle pencil, leaving loose tendrils to fall in her face. She wore absolutely no make up, but her cheeks were flushed with frustration. Her natural appearance stirred Draco's insides. At the same time, she was as stubborn as the Devil himself.

She lifted her head. "Just what I said, Draco. I won't do it." She aggressively slid the parchment he had passed her back to his side of the table.

"Well why the hell not?" Draco glared at her stern, yet gorgeous, brown eyes.

"It's too easy." She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"It'll get us an O, Hermione." Draco mimicked her actions.

"I will not sacrifice the respect of Professor Snape in the process. I want to do this one." She slid her potion suggestion over to him.

"Mandrake Draught? You can't be serious. This has nearly fifty ingredients."

"I already checked with Professor Sprout; the Mandrakes are almost mature. She said we could have enough to brew the potion for the class."

"Great. I'm glad you already made the decision for the project, Hermione."

"Well, I knew you'd just skive off. Hiccup Solution? Really? You made that in year six!"

"And I'm a little sore over it being called 'passable'. Plus – if we pick something easy we won't have to stress so much."

"I will not brew an easy potion because your ego was bruised!" Hermione said.

Draco fumed, muttering, "This has to be some kind of punishment."

"Excuse me?" Hermione's head snapped up.

"Nothing." Draco said. He knew if she had heard him, she would have exploded.

"A punishment?" Well, Hermione heard him.

"If you heard why did you ask?"

Hermione's mouth hung open for a few seconds. She snapped it shut and hissed between gritted teeth. "You've got to be kidding me…you are kidding me, right?"

Draco just stared at her, determined not to show weakness.

"You think working with me is punishment? For what, Draco?"

He honestly did not know what to say, so he dug his hole a little deeper. "Well, all I'm saying, Hermione, is that we shouldn't do something ridiculously difficult because you want to."

"That doesn't answer my question, Draco." She stood up and practically threw her books and notes into her bag. "You are the most stubborn, hard headed, egocentric man I've ever met. How's this for punishment? Do. It. Your. Self." She snapped her bag shut and stormed out of the library, leaving Draco glaring in her wake.

She was going to have to work out a compromise with the stubborn idiot – eventually. At that moment, all she wanted to do was get as far away from him as possible. As Hermione saw it, Draco was extremely lucky he was so good looking or she would have gotten up and left far sooner than she did. She tried desperately to focus on the beautiful blonde locks that fell into his eyes after he ran his fingers through his hair. Her eyes trained on his broad shoulders and Quidditch toned arms. Nevertheless, his snappy rude comment won out in the end. His punishment? She still could not grasp how he managed to come up with that one.

Draco had never infuriated her to this point before. Part of her realized that in any relationship fights were inevitable, but the other part wanted to throttle him. It was one thing to want to go another direction than she did, but it was another to feel as though working with your girl – well – to feel that working with her was punishment.

Still fuming, she stormed into the common room. Harry's initial smile faltered when he saw her glare. "Mione?"

Hermione stopped half way to the girls' hallway and turned to look at him. "Yea?" She snapped.

"Is…uh…is everything ok?"

"If you think Draco turning into an egocentric bastard is ok…then yea. I'm ok."

"Are you two ok?"

"I would think not, considering I'm his punishment." She spat as she made her way to her hall. When she opened the door, she walked directly into Ron. He smiled down at her, having heard every word she said to Harry. "Sorry, Ron." She muttered before trying to pass him.

He put his arms on her shoulders. "Do you need to talk, Hermione?"

She cringed at his touch. "No - I'm going to go to my room."

"Well if you need to talk, you can come see me."

"Uh – thanks, Ron." She muttered before sliding past him.

Ron's mood had changed to the better, indeed. He had been struggling with Hannah Abbot to put a project plan together for potions, and they were getting nowhere. Finally he decided to put the meeting on hold until they had cooled down. He did not expect to hear Hermione profess her distaste for Draco when he left the hallway. It was about time she saw his true colors. Ron had been trying for months to snap Hermione's head away from her 'Save Malfoy' complex. Now was his chance to show her what she was missing. He smiled brightly as he sat down next to Harry.

"What are you smiling about?" Annoyance bled from his words.

"Things are just starting to look up." Ron ran a hand through his hair, completely missing Harry's scowl.

Just then Draco stormed into the common room. "Did you see Hermione?" He snapped at Harry.

Harry pursed his lips. "You should probably leave her alone, Draco. She'll just hex you if you go talk to her right now."

"Yea. Leave her alone." Ron added smugly.

Draco glared at Ron and then turned back to Harry. "Why didn't you tell me how temperamental she was?"

"She usually isn't. But you've been around her more than I have lately." Harry shrugged turning back to his book. "Just let her be until she comes to you."

Draco growled and turned in the direction of his room, muttering. "Damn intelligent witch. She's too smart for her own good. She should take it down a notch." He swung open the door and stomped down the hall.

Ron's smile grew.

~*~*~*~

The next morning Hermione woke up early to avoid Draco. They did not have class together today, as she had Arithmancy in the morning and a free period in the afternoon. She was hoping to stay out of his path, so she could go to him that night and work something out. She felt like she needed an apology first though. She was not a stranger to arguments, but never in her life had someone called her 'a punishment'. She huffed over her muffin at the memory of his words.

The Great Hall was empty, save a few other early risers. There was a time when she had woken up around this time every morning. She poured herself a second cup of coffee, remembering why she had stopped. A yawn escaped as she poured milk into the black liquid. Really? Was a disagreement over potions worth sleep depravation? She opened up her potions text and tried to look for another potion, with medium effort needed, for them to brew for the project. She did not want to fight with Draco; she just was not willing to lose the respect of her professor.

"Ah. Miss. Granger, it's been a while since I saw you at breakfast this early. I'm glad you see you're taking this mid-semester project seriously." Snape interrupted her thoughts.

She smiled at the greasy haired professor. Regardless of the past, he had really changed his attitude toward her this year. "Yes, Professor. Draco and I are still trying to figure out which potion to brew."

"The most difficult part when working with another." He nodded knowingly. "I came across an old friend who works for Rupert's Research." Hermione's eyes lit up. "I was telling him about this remarkable student I have this year. It seems they have a spot opening up after your graduation." He passed her a stack of papers. "This is for you to fill out. The application process requires two vials of a potion you have developed. I do believe you will be the best one for the job. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Wow. Thank you, Professor." Hermione quickly looked through the papers. "I'll get right on it." She smiled at the Potions Master before he nodded and walked away. Still smiling she packed her books into her bag and read through the application as she exited the Great Hall.

Avoiding Draco proved to more effort than Hermione was willing to admit. Regardless of her annoyance with him, she constantly wanted to run up to him and tell him something. Dean Thomas sneezed while sleeping in Arthimancy and his boogies landed on the professor. Even as she was laughing hysterically at Dean, her first thoughts were of the enjoyment Draco would have gotten out of the scene. Later as she walked to the library, Madam Hooch caught Pansy Parkinson snogging a fourth year Ravenclaw in the hallway. Hermione knew Draco would be have loved to see Pansy's horrified face as she received detention and a discussion on pedophilia.

Hermione sighed, glancing up at the large clock in the library. The afternoon classes would be letting out in five minutes, and she wanted to catch Draco on his way out of class. Slowly she packed up her bag and through it over her shoulder. As she wandered down the deserted hall, she silently tried to rehearse what she was going to say to him. She had come to the conclusion that regardless of their fight, she could not go another day without his presence. She cursed herself for trying to really 'punish' him for what he said.

She was four doors down the hall from his Muggle Studies room, when the bell rang to signal the end of session. She paused, waiting to see which direction in which he left the room. Her eyes were trained on the Muggle Studies door, praying for him to walk her direction. He knew she would be in the library at this time, and he usually came to see her. Unfortunately, a tall redhead blocked Hermione's line of sight.

"Oh. Hello, Ron."

"Hey, Hermione. Are you going back to the common room? I'll carry your bag." She frowned at him.

"No, thank you. I can carry it. I'm not going –"

"No, I insist." Ron roughly pulled the bag off of Hermione's shoulders, causing her to fall into him. She tried to stand again, but his arms had circled around her waist. "I'm glad you finally noticed he isn't for you." He whispered thickly in her ear.

Hermione blanched at the clammy feeling of his breath on her skin. "What are you talking about?" She tried to push him away. He kept one arm wrapped around her, and used the other hand to brush the hair out of her eyes.

"You and Malfoy. Clearly we were made for each other, not you and him." In one swift motion, he pushed her against the wall of the hallway. She was dully aware of the stares the students were giving them. She, unfortunately, was extremely aware of Ron's hand, which had maneuvered its way into her robes and up her thigh. His hips sadistically pinned her against the wall and one hand was cupping her cheek as the other stroked her thigh. She visibly gagged as he started to kiss her neck.

"God! Ron! Get off!" Hermione tried to push him off her again.

Draco, who had just exited the classroom, heard her distressed voice. His eyes blazed with worry, trying to locate her. Finally his eyes landed on her half hidden body, struggling to get free from Ron. The worry in his eyes turned to fury as he saw Ron's lips on Hermione's neck and Ron's hand in her robe.

"Oi! Weasley!" He ran over to where Hermione was pinned against the wall. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He aggressively pushed Ron off Hermione and punched him square in the jaw, causing Ron to fall to the ground.

Nursing his chin, he answered, "Why do you care, Malfoy?"

"A boyfriend usually cares when someone is all over his girlfriend." He sneered at the redhead. Draco turned away from him, leaving him gaping, to tend to Hermione. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, and tried to wipe Ron's spit from her neck. "Are you ok?"

Hermione nodded with tears in her eyes. "Now I am." Draco gave her a small smile and kissed her lips gently.

"Excuse me?" Ron finally snapped out of his daze.

"You heard me, Carrot Top. Stay away from her." He sneered, looking down at Ron who was still sitting on the floor. "You'll like me a lot less if I see you alone with her again." Draco picked up Hermione's discarded book bag, wrapping his arm around her tightly. He pulled her away from the scene, only aware of her sobs.

Harry and Neville, having witnessed the entire escape, scowled at Ron. Harry's eyes shot daggers into Ron's. "You're thick, Ron. I'm backing Malfoy on this – stay away from her." It took everything Harry had not to kick him in his stomach. He found Ginny and the crowd and walked away from his friend. Neville looked down sadly at Ron, unable to put words together. He just shook his head and turned his back on the young man.

Instead of taking Hermione back to the common room, he thought a walk around the grounds would be a good idea. Yes, she had ignored him all day – but he deserved it. If he hadn't had been such a prat, he may have been able to stop Ron sooner. Draco shook his head, knowing there was not anything he could have done. Draco guided Hermione over to a tree and sat down underneath it, pulling her into his arms.

"Thanks, Dray." She whispered, letting her head fall back on his shoulder. He was leaning up against the tree and she was leaning up against him, in between his legs.

"Always, Nee." He kissed her temple. "I don't want him around you."

"Because I'm your girlfriend?" Hermione said in a small voice.

"I know we haven't talked about it. But I'd like you to be – we clearly like each other. Lets tell everyone. I don't want any other guy to be with you, to touch you, to look at you even."

"I think that may be a little unrealistic, Dray. Guys are going to look at me." She shifted a tiny bit so her neck was bent back and she was looking up at him.

"Maybe. But I don't want it to happen."

"So I'm officially your girlfriend then?"

"If you think you can handle it." Draco smirked.

Laughing, Hermione tilted her chin so her lips were closer to his. "Lets see if I can." Draco's arms circled tighter around her tiny waist as his lips captured hers.

A/N: I"m sorry if there are errors. I'm actually looking for a new beta - for this story and another that i'm working on. If anyone is interested - just let me know, and leave me an email address to contact you at. ORRR just email me - Just a simple note: My chapters are usually this length - but it varies. I do have mistakes within grammar, although i try to catch them before i send them out. My biggest mistakes are sometimes jumping to my own conclusions without explaining them or forgetting a previously mentioned fact and either changing it or rementioning it. Hmm also know that none of my author's notes are grammatically correct or edited, so please dont use those as a bases for whether your interested..haha..i'm lazy. Thanks! and i hope you enjoy the new chapter.


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